I'm Lost, I'm Scared
by EvilPandaxSaviorSwan
Summary: Rachel has been trying her hardest since day one. She's been pushed down but always gets back up no matter the issue. But what happens when she finds that her home life isn't all that it seems to be?
1. I'm Lost, I'm Scared

**A/N:** I've always wanted to write a story on Rachel being bullied. And I've always wanted to write it in Pezberry verse. Because lets face it, Pezberry is and will always be my OTP. So this story will be a few chapters. I'm going to try and finish this all tonight while its still fresh in my mind.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters in this, nor do I own the show. The mistakes are mine.

* * *

Since the first day of school, Rachel Berry has tried everything in her power to become friends with every single one of her peers. She's tried joining every Club the school has had, tried offering her services to those who needed tutoring and even offered to help them study for up coming tests. Upon doing so, Rachel was able to obtain only two friendships.

Brittany Pierce. Leading up into sophomore year of their lives, the ditzy blond was having major trouble with pretty much all of her classes. She had talked to Miss Pilsbury about what she could do about her grades instead of the school getting a hold of her parents. The red headed woman chewed on her lower lip before a name that was scribbled on her note pad caught her eye. "Do you know who Rachel Berry is?"

Brittany furrowed her eyebrows as she sorted through her jumbled mind until the name rang a bell and caused the blonde cheerleader to smile and nod. "Of course, she's in my cooking class with me,"

"Well, she's been offering tutoring to those who need it since her freshmen year, she's pretty smart and I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping you," the guidance counselor explained as she dug into her desk and pulled out a tiny sticky note pad and began to write a note on it.

"Well she's really nice to me and she's never talked down to me like I was stupid or something, I think it would be fun,"

Miss Pilsbury ripped the sticky note off the pad and handed it to Brittany who stood and walked out with an enthusastic 'thank you'. Rachel met up with the girl after she got out of her cheerleading practice and it was an instant connection with the two.

Sam Evans. He had just moved to McKinley High in the middle of his sophomore year and he didn't know anybody. He wasn't that much of an out spoken kid so he kept to himself. It was two weeks into his arrival and he found himself bumping into a rather sticky and shivering girl, he didn't mean to but his solid body caused the girl to fall on the ground.

"I'm so sorry," he had said and leaned down to help her up. The girl placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her up. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am fine thank you," she looked up at him and smiled, even though he could see that the smile didn't reach her eyes by any means. "I hope I didn't get you dirty or anything,"

Sam shook his head, "No," he looked her over and seen that she was covered in red slushie instantly feeling bad for the girl. "Do you need help getting cleaned up?" the girl looked up at him in a weird way and he began to back track, "I mean just to help you, I'm not trying to sneak a look or anything, I'm not like that,"

The girl smiled, "I trust you, and I would love help," she held her hand back out to him and he took it, not caring that it was sticky and cold. "My name is Rachel Berry,"

"Sam Evans,"

From that day on they became best of friends and Rachel's life had gotten slightly less hellish. But that didn't mean the attacks stopped. No, if anything, they got worse.

 **RxRxRxR**

Since the first day of Rachel's freshmen year, no matter how hard she tried to make friends, she got bullied left and right. Two slushies a day to name calling. Shoved into lockers to books being smacked out of her hands. It was the minor things and also the reason why Rachel tried so hard to make friends. She always came to school with a smile on her face and the need to prove to her bulies that they weren't going to bring her down. So when she became friends with those three, she felt like her life would get better.

That didn't happen.

A month into meeting Sam, Rachel had gotten some news that she thought she would never get in her life. School had just let out and she was ready to get home so she could change and meet Brittany at her house for some more tutoring. She drove all the way to her house and found that neither of her fathers were home. It didn't really phase her, she knew they both worked late. Her dad being a lawyer and her father being a doctor. She parked in one of the empty spots and turned her car off then hopped out with her back pack in hand as she rushed up to the front door. It was going to rain soon.

When she shut the door behind her, she saw that the lights were all off so she decided to walk through and turn on a few of them. On her way through she pressed the phone machine button and let the three messages that were on the device play.

 _"Mr. Berry this is Charles from the office, if you could give me a call, thank you,"_

 _"Leroy, I need you to give me a call, your mother is worried about you and we really want to hear your voice. Please, we love you son,"_

Rachel rolled her eyes at that one. Her dad's parents never really liked who he had become and when they found out about her they instantly lost all contact with him. So it only proved they didn't like any of his life styke choices.

 _"Rachel, your father and I left this morning. We talked about it and we need to finish out our dreams. Now that you are 17 and about to graduate high school in another year, we feel like we have done our part. So we won't be coming back anytime soon. We did open up a savings account for you. You can use it when you need it, food or bills. But once that money runs out, you will need to get a job. We can't support you forever. So with that being said, the house is paid off and stocked with food for now. Don't destory it, we still want to come back to it when you move out. We love you . Bye."_

She couldn't believe her ears. Her fathers left her? For good this time. She knew it was bound to happen but not this soon. Her knees had given out on her by the middle of the message so she found herself crying on the floor. The sobs grew with each passing second until she began to hiccup. She had to stop other wise she was going to make herself sick. But she didn't stop, no instead she cried herself to sleep.

When she finally came too, it was dark. Her head pounded and her throat was sore from all the screaming she did. Her body felt numb but she stood anyways and saw that she had another message. Her finger pressed the button to play it.

 _"Rachie? Are you okay? You never came over like you were suppose to and you didn't answer your cell phone. I'm getting worried about you, will you please call me?"_

Brittany's voice had brought Rachel back to reality and was like an instant rush of ice cold water to her body. She looked at her wrist watch and saw that it was only 8 so she still had time to get to the blonde's house. She ran up stairs and got dressed quickly, ignoring the pain in her head.

She had parked outside of the Pierce house hold and took in a steeling breath before getting out and rushing up to the front door. She knocked and awaited for it to open. When it did Brittnay's mother answered it with a kind smile.

"Hello Rachel, Brittany's upstairs going crazy," she woman giggled. Rachel smiled at her and walked in.

"Well I'm here now, I'll calm her down," she went to walk up the steps but was stopped by the woman again.

"Santana's up there too,"

Hearing the latina's name caught Rachel off guard and the sense of not belonging there overwhelmed her. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding to Brittany's mother then walking up the steps. She got to Brittany's door that was opened just a smidge which meant she was invitng anyone in. Kind of like leaving the porch light on for someone. She pushed on the door and spotted Santana on the bed with Brittany crying into her chest.

"Brittany?"

Both girls looked towards the door to see the girl standing there, she looked slightly defeated and small. Smaller then Santana's ever seen her. Just looking at her made the latina think something was up but she didn't say anything, instead she let Brittany pull from her and run towards Rachel, almost toppling her to the ground with a bear hug. Rachel welcomed the hug as her hands gripped onto Brittany's waist, like she was afraid the girl was going to leave too.

Santana watched the embrace, still on the bed and when she caught Rachel's eyes from around the hug, she saw that the girl was slosly breaking on the inside. Something she thought she'd never see in the tiny girl.

 **RxRxRxR**


	2. I'm Broken, I'm Useless

**A/N:** This one reaches Rachel's peak. You see a different side of Rachel in this. Something that I don't think I've ever seen. I do hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the show. Mistakes are all mine though.

* * *

Rachel hadn't told anyone about how her fathers had left her and it's been a good two months now. She's been holding everything deep inside, showing off a fake and making sure no one asked questions. She thought she was fooling everyone around her, but truth was only one person could see passed the facade and she was just about ready to confront the tiny girl.

It had been a very rough day for Rachel. She woke up late and found that she had a call from her fathers stating that they weren't calling her again after that last message. They wanted her to know that they weren't coming to her gradation so she didn't need to save any seats. Upon waking up late and hearing the message all in one go, Rachel was late getting to school from crying so hard and giving herself a headache. So she got dressed as fast as she could and popped two Advil's before leaving the house in a hurry.

When she got to the school she was greeted by two cheerio's throwing two big cups of red slush all over her clothing. She hated red, it stained her clothes worse then the blue did. She grabbed her emergency slushie kit and proceeded to the bathroom where Jock number one shoved her so hard into a locker, she began to see stars. Rachel sat on the ground and tried to let her vision resruface. She could hear the jock laugh and mutter something about her but it went in one ear and out the other.

Finally in the bathroom, Rachel slowly peeled off her soaked clothing and grumbled to see that her white laced bra was completely soaked and she really didn't think she had an extra one. She grabbed the kit and dug threw it only to toss it to the ground in frusteration. Hot tears began to fall down her cold cheeks and her hands began to tremble. Appearntly she didn't have any clean clothes in her kit, she had forgot to restock it so she was stuck wearing her soaked clothes. Rachel let out some sobs as she pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them. She didn't know just how tired she was till she fell asleep in that position.

When Santana and Brittany walked into the restroom, they were werent expecting to see the diva there. Santana's boyd heated up quickly at the state of the girl and Brittany felt her cheeks redden from the lack of clothing.

"Who the fuck did this to her?"

Brittany was at Rachel's side, a warm hand touching her cold shoulder jolted her awake. The diva scrambled away from Brittnay the best she could without hitting her head on the sink. She got scared but when she saw that it was Brittany and no one else, she calmed down and threw herself in the awaiting arms Brittany had held out.

"Rachie, who did this to you?"

Rachel held onto Brittany as she stared ahead, eyes unfocused and not particulary looking at anything, "The slushie part or the lack of clothing part?" Brittnay looked up to Santana in confusion.

"She means who left you in here in the state that you're in Berry?" the latina explained for her best friend and the tiny girl. Hearing her voice, Rachel flinched. She didn't want Santana to see her like this, so open and revealing. She didn't want Santana to see her so weak.

"Two of your mini me's and a football player," she hissed. Santana was take aback from the sudden anger coming from the girl but she recovered quickly.

"If you think I'm the one who sent them to do this to you then you are sorely mistaken. I haven't sent anyone on you since freshmen year. I wasn't going to stoop to their level. It's worth it,"

Rachel turned her head to look at the latina girl, her eyes glazed over, "You mean I'm not worth it?"

"That didn't come out of my mouth, so don't you dare try and twist my words around. You are more important to me then some reputation in high school that won't follow me into the real world," Santana growled. Brittany smiled at the confession but Rachel let it go in one ear and out the other. She didn't register it so she just kept talking.

"I don't see why, I'm worthless trash. No one stays. I'm always left in the end so I'm worthless," she turned her head to bury it into Brittany's chest and cry. Santana felt her body begin to tremble from hearing those words and spun on her heel. She pushed open the bathroom door and set out on a mission to find the sorry-good-for-nothings who did this to Rachel.

"Will you take me home Brittany?"

"Of course,"

 **RxRxRxR**

Santana spent her entire school day looking for the cheerio's that had slushied Rachel. What she wasn't expecting was to find Quinn behind the attacks, well she did, she just didn't understand why. So stomping her way into the girls locker room, Santana cornered Quinn and stood there with her hands on her hips.

"Why do you feel the need to continue to torture Rachel? She hasn't even talked to Finn in years," Santana spoke with a booming voice. Quinn looked up from her cheerleading folder and gave her friend a smirk.

"She's still annoying and I just don't like her,"

"You need to leave her alone," demanded Santana. Quinn stood from where she sat and came toe to toe with the tanned girl.

"And what are you going to do about it if I don't?" she raised her eyebrow, the same one that melted hearts and put the fear into people. But all it did was piss Santana off.

"I'm going to shove that folder so far up your ass that you'll be tasting the words you've already wrote,"

Quinn glared at the latina, "You don't scare me Santana, you're all bark and no bite,"

Santana bit the inside of her cheek.

"You won't do anything because you know it'll cost you your spot on the cheerios and your popularity. So stop defending that worthless piece of trash and come back to-"

Santana's right hand wrapped tightly around Quinn's throat as she slammed the girl into the lockers behind her. Quinn's eyes widen in shock then fear as her ex friend's hand tightened around her neck.

She leaned forward and with pitch black crazed eyes, Santana said in a very eerily calm yet stirn voice, "If you ever think about insulting or touching Rachel I will hurt you Quinn. If you send anyone of your goons to slushie her, I will hurt you. And if I think any of those idiots out there are bullying Rachel because you told them to, I...will...hurt...you. Do you understand me?"

Quinn tried to swallow but couldn't so she just nodded, her body shaking with fear. Santana gave her throat one last squeeze before letting her go and walking away.

 **RxRxRxR**

After Brittany made sure that Rachel was in some warm clothes and resting in bed, she left to go back to school and meet up with Santana. Rachel waited till Brittany left before she got out of her bed and headed down stairs. On her way she spotted pictures of her and her fathers. They looked happy, she knew they were lies. She stopped and grabbed the last picture, where both of her fathers were kissing either side of her cheeks. She held it in her hands before gritting her teeth and throwing it against the front door. It shattered.

She felt some relief after doing it so she rushed out to the garage and grabbed her dad's sludge hammer. She let it drag on the floor while she walked back inside and decided to start with the kitchen. She picked the tool up, not even caring of how heavy it was, and slamming it down onto the island. The shattering of the marble templates was very satsifying but she wasn't done. Rachel finished smashing the island, her face contorted in hurt anger. She set the hammer down and turned to the table. Screaming, she flipped it over so hard it broke in half and shatter the window behind it.

Picking up the hammer again, she smashed the microwave, dented in the fridge and destroyed the sink. She then stomped her way into the living room and grabbed the baseball bat near the couch and swung it into the flat screen tv, smashing the screen into pieces. She swung it down onto the DVR and DVD player. She didn't stop there; turning around she swung the bat down onto the glass table and shattered every piece. Spinning around, Rachel knocked off every picture on the walls and fire place mantel. She made sure to make holes in the walls with her foot or fists.

Once she was satisfied with the living rooms wreckage, she decided to move up stairs. Her fathers rooom was first; something was really wrong with her if she felt like she was enjoying all of this a little too much. She hadn't stepped foot in their room since they left so she wasn't for sure what they left behind. When she entered her heart sank. Their bed was still there, their tv and dresser. Everything else was gone. She let out a loud holler and began to smash the tv and dresser with the metal bat she had. Creating holes in the walls and breaking down the door. She threw the bat on the floor and began to rip the covers and pillows to shreds with the strength she didn't even know she posessed. Feathers from the pillows flew all over the room and blanket pieces were tossed onto the floor. The room was a total mess.

She walked into her room, and after looking at everything, she lost it once more and began to wreck everything there. Taking her dresser and pushing it on to it's side so hard that you could hear the loud ' _CRACK'_ sound. Everything on top of it was gone. She ripped off every poster and playbill, ripped them to pieces. She grabbed every picture, even the glee ones and threw them on the floor, making sure they shattered, stepping on them to smash them. She grabbed her tv and threw it on the floor, sparks flying and the screen shattering. When she turned she stopped dead in her tracks. Her full size mirror was still in one piece and showed her what she looked like.

Brown hair wild, face red, eyes black and angry. Her body trembled with pure white hatred and she was panting, tears streaking down her face. This wasn't Rachel, this wasn't the girl who grew up in a happy life. This was the girl who grew up in a disfunctional life with disappointing parents and evil kids who bullied her. This was the face of a fed up girl at her breaking point. She was sick at seeing herself so she took her fist and smashed it into the mirror, breaking it to shards. She grabbed the sides of the pink mirror and tossed it out of her room and into the hall where it broke in half.

Walking out of her room, she walked down the stairs and made sure to punch each picture lining the wall, causing holes to appear as well as destroying the lies captured forever. She grabbed the hallway table where the answering machine sat and a lamp stood only to grip it and toss it into the wall across from it. The wall now with a huge gaping hole from the table. Rachel walked into the dining room, the enterence was on the left side of the stair case where the living room was on the right side. She grabbed the heavy table but managed to tip it over as she sat in the corner, pulled her knees up to her chest and began to ball her eyes out.

 **RxRxRxR**

Santana had decided to stop by Rachel's and apologize for the things she had said, she also wanted to make sure the girl was okay. When she got out of her car she looked at the house like something about it was wrong. It was getting dark outside but it looked like there were no lights on inside. She walked up to the house and knocked on the door but there was no answer. She tried again but only got the same result. So she tried the knob, it was unlocked. She pushed open the door and looked inside.

"Hello?" she called out. She used the flashlight on her iPhone and when she saw the state the front hall way was in along with the staircase, she began to panic.

"Rachel?!" she yelled but got no answer. She rushed through the house, seeing that every little thing was destroyed. Her fear for the tiny girl began to rose when she walked up stairs and saw the mirror in the hallway. She peeked into Rachel's room and felt her heart drop.

"Rachel Berry!?" she yelled again. Still nothing, Running down stairs, she stopped when she heard a whimper from the left side of the stair case. Santana shined her light into the dining room and spotted the girl instantly. She reached over and switched on the dining room light.

"Oh my god, Rachel," placing a hand over her mouth, she got to her side and pulled the damaged girl against her. She looked all over the girls body to make sure she was okay then her eyes set on Rachel's brusied and bloodied hands. "Did you...did you do this?" she asked in disbellief.

 **RxRxRxR**


	3. I'm Worthless, I'm Not Enough

**A/N:** So I have decided to stretch this story out, only because I've gotten so many likes and follows for this. I didn't mean for it to be this liked but now that it is I'm going to turn it into more then three chapters like I was going to. I'm actually proud of this and I'm so so happy that you all like this so much. I'm not sure if I'll have to turn it into an M rated chapter just yet. I know that it'll only get darker in the next two maybe three chapters. But don't quote me just yet because I might also be getting ahead of myself. Lol.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters used here. Just my mistakes.

* * *

Santana spent the rest of the night in one of the bathrooms with Rachel as she cleaned and dressed her wounded hands. The one with the deep gashes from the mirror was the most time consuming. The latina girl took what her father had taught her and stitched up the deeper cuts before wrapping the hand carefully. Rachel just sat there, mind in a haze and body slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush it was under. She didn't even register the fact that Santana was the one there, she was far too out of it to even notice anything even the pain her hands brought her.

She was now sitting on the couch in the living room, eyes staring ahead and hands in her lap as her mind swirled again. Santana walked away from her and into the hallway so she could make a quick call, she wasn't about to leave the girl anytime soon.

"Britt, I just came over to Rachel's to make sure she was okay and her house is in complete wreckage," she had said in a hushed tone, "I don't know what to do,"

She listened to her best friend on the other end as she chewed on her lower lip and stared at the holes in the walls that led up to the upstairs area. She wasn't sure even wanted to go up there and see it's damange.

"I don't think so, honestly I think she did it," Santana looked behind her to see Rachel still sitting there. "She hasn't said anything to me, she hasn't moved. She has this far off look in her eyes like she's staring into another world. It's kind of scary B,"

Her eyes never left Rachel's form this time as she continued to listen to Brittany's words.

"I'll stay with her till one of her dads get here, but-

"They're not coming,"

The simple three words made Santana jump, not expecting the girl to even say anything. She finally registered what was said and walked into the living room to stand in front of the girl.

"What do you mean, 'They're not coming?'"

Rachel looked up at the girl and with a straight and simple look she spoke, "They moved out almost three months ago. They won't be coming back,"

Santana's jaw clenched as her cell fell from her hand and onto the carpet. Rachel gave a simple sigh before leaning down to grab it and place it to her ear.

"B, I'm fine. I'm gonna talk to Santana then I'll see you at school tomorrow. Love you," then she hung up and held out the device to the still stunned latina. When she still didn't grab it, Rachel jsut slipped it into the girl's jean pocket and got up to walk into the kitchen. Santana watched her and felt her heart drop at the sight of the kitchen when Rachel turned to light on. She heard the fridge open then close before she finally walked towards the entrence to take a better look. Everything was smashed and it broke Santana's heart to see the place in such a state.

"Why didn't you tell anybody about this Berry?"

"I'm not exactly the most liked person in school Santana, so why would I go off and tell my bullies that my fathers left me. It would only fuel their insults towards me," Rachel had stated as she poured herself a glass of sweet lemon tea. Her throat was sore from all the screaming earlier.

"Not those assholes, I mean Brittany or even Kurt and Sam, you have friends they could have helped,"

Rachel didn't say anything as she placed the pitcher back into the fridge and then moved over to grab her glass. She kept her back to the girl as she took a long drink and when she set the glass down she wasn't phased to see that it was all gone. "I didn't want to bother them with my petty problems,"

"This isn't petty problems Berry, this is serious," Santana was beginning to grow angry at how nonchalant Rachel was being about all this. "For fucks sakes, they left you all by yourself. Parents should never do that to their child! They are suppose to be there for them and protect them, they are doing the exact oposite and it's not okay!"

Rachel whipped around, eyes angry and red from the tears that welled up, "You don't think I don't know that!?" she screamed, "You think I'm okay with this?"

Santana said nothing.

"They just up and left me while I was at school one day because they blame me for getting in their way of their dreams. They only wanted me as a kid and then once I started to grow up they didn't have a use for me anymore. So yeah, I know that what they did was wrong but they're also right, I'm useless and I'm at fault for their unhappiness," her yelling began to slowly fade to just soft sobs and a low voice. She let the tears fall down her face as she kept Santana's gaze, not wanting to break it so she could get it across the cheerleaders head that she knew what was going on.

"You are not worthless-"

"I'm not?" She began to get angry now, "I'm not worthless yet you and your friends caused every waking moment of my life for me to believe that I was and when my fathers finally do leave me behind, it only proves what you told me was true,"

"Berr-"

"NO!" she slammed her fists on the already broken island, cause some of the marble to cut into her bandages and cut the sides of her hands, she didn't pay much attention; Santana did. "You don't get to come into my house and start pointing fingers. You don't get to try and make this out to seem like it's all their fault. It your fault too!"

It was like the lowest of low blows to the latina and it hurt her alot because she tried to stop the bullying but no one listened to her. Okay, maybe she should have at least tried to befriend the girl but it still didn't dismiss the fact that all that bullying wasn't all her fault. Her face grew soft as she could feel the pricking of hot tears at the corners of her eyes. "Rachel...I'm-"

"Stop, I want you to leave Santana. I want you get out and I don't want to ever see you again,"

It was so final and the way Rachel said the words made Santana know that the girl was serious. Not like dramatic or even acting, but actual seriousness. And that's what made the who thing hurt the latina that much more then it should have. Taking a deep and ragid breath, Santana turned away from the girl and left the house without another word. Rachel just dropped her head and gripped the edge of the island before sinking to the floor and sobbing herself to sleep.

 **RxRxRxR**

Rachel hadn't went to school in almost a week after that, she didn't want to see Santana. Honestly, she didn't want to see anybody. That's why she ignored Brittany's, Sam's and Kurt's calls and messages. There were most days she continued to wreck the house till she collapsed out of pure exhaustion. Then there were days where she just sat on the couch, the one piece of furniture that she didn't destroy, and stared out the window. From morning till night.

She got so deep into her thoughts one night that the sound of ending her life was the best thing she could ever even think about. She even grabbed a kitchen knife and let it sit next to her but never did she touch it beyond that. She got so mad at herself that she punched a fresh hole into the kitchen wall and did so till her fists were bruised up again. She was about to let go of everything because deep inside she felt like she couldn't go on anymore. She couldn't take the pain of having no body there, she couldn't take the insomnia she posessed, she couldn't take the disappointment she knew she was to her friends and fathers, and she couldn't take the dark spaces of her mind that was a constant thing.

Something told her that her unlucky streak wasn't over either but somehow she was preparing herself for it. No matter what it was.

 **RxRxRxR**


	4. I'm Trash, I'm Damaged

**A/N:** I'm on a writing spree with this story. I might finish it today, I might not. But the next chapter will be the darkest of them all. So I guess it's safe to say that I will be changing the rating to M if I get anyone saying it's too dark for a T rated. I, myself, feel like it needs to be changed on the safe side because of what I'm going to be doing.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this except for Nicole. And also, STAF is an actual animal shelter in Cincinnati, so I have no rights to it. I just used the name. Mistakes are all mine.

* * *

When that nagging feeling that something bad was about to happen, even though she contemplated on killing herself a few times, Rachel wasn't quite ready to leave this world. So she dipped into the money her fathers left her for emergency's and bought a dog. She had been looking online and wanted to get the most successful guard dog there was and Cincinnati had one of the best dog shelters in Ohio. So taking the 500 huundred out of the five grand her fathers left her, Rachel got into her car and drove all the way to the city that cold Saturday morning.

The trip only took her two hours and wasn't much on gas so she was okay. It helped her to get out as well, cleared her mind alot with an open road and loud music. She could feel a road trip in her near future.

She finally arrived to the animal shelter, STAF, Save The Animals Foundation. She had spoke to one of the owenrs over the phone the day before and was sure to meet them that day. When she walked inside she met with the lady at the desk.

"Hi, what can I do for you today?" she was polite and very kind. Rachel smiled.

"I'm here to speak with Nicole,"

The lady looked down to her time book and spotted the twelve o' clock appointment, "Rachel Berry?" she asked then looked when to see the owner of the name smiling at her. "Well you are right on time, Mrs. Zantos just finished up with her last appointment and she is actually expecting you,"

Rachel followed the lady down the hall, she could hear the faint noise of dogs barking and cats meowing. The sound alone caused her heart to soften. They came to a stop at a door with the name _'Mrs. Zantos'_ on it. The lady opened it and announced that Rachel was there before stepping aside to let her in then walked back out to the front. Rachel walked further inside as she got a good look of the woman.

Her light brown hair was pulled into a pony tail, she had flawless creamy skin and big grey blue eyes that shined behind her reading glasses. She wore a set of scrubs that had dogs and cats on them. When she looked up an instant smile crossed her lips and she stood from her desk to greet Rachel with a hand shake.

"I'm so glad you could make it Rachel, was your trip too long?"

"No, I actually needed the trip. Clear my mind," the younger girl gave her a smile.

"Well I'm glad, why don't we head on over to the kennels so you can get a look at the few animals we have avaliable." the woman suggested. Rachel gave a nod and followed her out only to enter another room, this one making the animal's grow louder.

"Is there any particular animal that you want, breed or gender?" the lady had asked. Rachel looked around and felt her heart swell from all the beautiful creatures, wishing she could take them all home. Her eyes though instantly settled on a white and chesnut colored dog.

"That one,"

Nicole stopped and turned around to see the animal picked out and her smile grew wider. "That's Hazel, she was left on the side of the road one night. My wife had been on her way home when she spotted her and stopped. She brought her home and we nursed her back to health then brough her here to our business in hopes she could find a home,"

Rachel looked up at the woman, "Wife?"

"Yes," Nicole giggled and showed off her wedding ring, "Shes the doctor of the facility, her names Alexandra," Rachel looked at the ring and was at awe at how big the rock was but still managed to look clean and cut.

"She's a very lucky woman to have married you," insisted Rachel as she turned back to look at the dog, "How old is she?"

"Two years, she's still got some young years left in her. Pure blood pit and shes all up to date on her shots and tags,"

Rachel turned to the woman and grinned, "I want her,"

 **RxRxRxR**

Santana began to get worried. She hadn't seen Rachel since the night she found her in her home. She hadn't spoken nor tried to contact her. But she also didn't think that Rachel would skip school. It's Saturday afternoon and even Brittany hadn't heard from her. Which worried the blonde girl to no end. But she was out of town with her parents for the weekend and so she really couldn't do anything. Santana couldn't go over to Rachel's because one: she wasn't allowed per to Rachel's request, and two: she was having family time with her mother and father. Something they did every Saturday since both of them worked so hard over the week.

She debated in trying Sam and Kurt but didn't think they were even in town because appearntly everyone in town decided it was time to take a trip out of Lima. So she just sat at home and waited for an idea to come. That was until Quinn stopped by, unepected.

"What do you want Q-tip?" she had asked. They stepped outside instead of inside because her parents were watching a movie and hated to be disturbed.

"I wanted to apologize for the other day in the locker room. I was out of line,"

Santana folded her arms over her chest, she could feel the coldness of the winter air seep into her body quickly. "Okay, what do you want?"

"I want to go see Rachel and apologize to her, but I wanted to come to you first because I want you to know that I'm being serious about this," the look on Quinn's face would have fooled anyone else. Had they not been around the cheer captain as long as Santana had.

"Listen to me Fabray," Santana stepped close to the girl and pointed a perfectly manicured finger towards her, "If you as much as step foot on her property, even talk to her, I will find you and I will end you. I am not playing," her voice was so vicious and strong that Quinn believed her but would you ever know Quinn to back down from something she wanted? No.

"It's just friendly conversation Santana," she giggled for effect. Santana felt her left eye twitch at the sound. It sounded so unappealing when she did it.

"I swear to everything Fabray, don't do this,"

Quinn waved a hand in her direction, "Whatever, I won't go talk to your precious midget," she scoffed then walked off the Lopez residence. Santana watched her go before turning around to walk back inside. Something was off though, the way Quinn gave in so fast. It wasn't like her to do so. Santana walked back into the living room and slumped onto the couch, her mind all over the place.

 **RxRxRxR**

Rachel didn't get back to her house till late evening when the sun began to set itself. She figured Hazel was tired and hungry from the long ride. She she hauled the dog out of her car and led her up to her house. She unlocked the door and let the dog inside, following behind her. Hazel stood there, tail wagging frantically.

"I'm sorry about the mess Hazel, I'm going to clean it up I promise," she gave a small chuckle and allowed the dog to have free reign after unhooking her leash. She walked back outside to grab the dog food, dog bowls and the few dog toys before rushing back inside and out of the cold air. Once inside, she set the bowls down in the dining room and filled one up with dog food. The moment the food hit the metal bowl, Hazel came running in and started to eat. Rachel smiled and reached down to grab the water dish and went to fill it.

She came back and placed next to the excited Pit who began to lap at the water. Rachel kneeled next to her and slowly reached out to pet her but stopped when she remembered Nicole's words.

 _"She may adjust quickly but don't touch her while she drinks and eats, she will snap at you,"_

Rachel just sat there and waited till the dog was done. When Hazel turned to her, licking her lips, she stepped forward and gave Rachel and kiss on her cheek which meant Rachel wrapped her arms around the dog's neck and hugged her.

"So which ones the owner and which ones the dog?"

Rachel instantly froze and upon hearing the voice, she slowly turned from the dog to see who was in her house. When she spotted who it was, her heart fell deep into her stomach.

"Q-Quinn?"

 **RxRxRxR**


	5. You're not Damaged, You're not Trash

**A/N:** I'm not really sure what this rates as. If it needs to be rated M then please let me know. There is some fighting in this. After this things begin to look up for Rachel. Santana will make sure of it.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters but I do own the mistakes If made.

 **Warning:** Abuse/Fighting.

* * *

Rachel was never really afraid when the jocks and cheerleaders bullied her, because even though they threw slushies at her and slammed her into lockers, the school wouldn't let them go any further. (Which they shouldn't have let them go anywhere with bullying as it was.) But as the tiny girl stood there, staring at Quinn and the people she had with her, she began to fear for her life. Two football players and three cheerios flanking her, she wasn't liking these odds.

"Hello Treasure Trail, nice of you to join us," Quinn looked down to the dog, "She's beautiful, do you mind if I take her home with me to a place that doesn't look like a trashed up dump?"

"No," Rachel's voice was stern as she stepped in front of the sitting Pit, "I just bought her, I won't let you take her away from me,"

Quinn nodded towards the girl and both of the football players stepped from behind their leader and towards Rachel, "It wasn't up for a debation, Tranny, she's coming with me because the thought of you happy pisses me off,"

One of the footballers reached out to grab Rachel but she used her fist to slam into his nose, breaking it instantly and the second one grabbed her free arm to jerk her away from the dog. He tossed her into the stairs, which caused her to land on her right arm, giving out a nasty _'CRUNCH'_ sound. She yelled in pain as the guy she hit stumbled back and held his bleeing nose.

The footballer that wasn't touched grabbed Hazel, who at the time didn't know what was going on so she just allowed him to pick her up. Quinn turned behind her and looked at the three girls then jerked her head towards Rachel and they walked over to her.

"Now, for punching one of my guys here, I think it's time we showed you who really is boss," Quinn stated just as the girls grabbed Rachel, two taking each arm and the third one grabbed her hair forecfully. "In and our of school. This town is ours and so are you,"

 **RxRxRxR**

Santana had just got to her room when her cell phone began to beep frantically. She gave out a sigh and grabbed it. "Hello?"

"Santana? Have you been on Facebook?"

"No, I just got done with having family time with my parents," she stopped to register the voice before pulling the phone from her ear and looking at the collar ID then placing it back to her ear, "Froggy Lips? Why are you calling me so late?"

"Santana this is serious, have you heard from Rachel?"

"No," she grounded out, "Why would I have heard from her, she won't talk to me,"

She heard Sam swear under his breath, "You need to check Facebook,"

Santana did as she was told and logged onto her laptop. She pulled up her Facebook and began to scroll through her newsfeed. "Sam, what the hell am I looking for? It's just the same old stupid-"

She stopped and her curser froze on a statues that was updated just thirty minutes ago.

 _'Taking some friends out hunting tonight, it's going to be the talk of the town. I just wished My best friends could join. I do miss them. One less Berry to worry about after tonight,'_ **Quinn Fabray is feeling Blood Thirsty with Stacey Conway and four others.**

"San-"

"Where are you?"

"I'm at home, I just got back earlier," Sam said.

Santana was already up and throwing clothes on, her cell phone balanced between her ear and shoulder. "I need you to call Puck, as much as he doesn't like me right now, I know he likes Rachel enough to protect her if need be. Both of you meet me at the park across from Rachel's house in ten minutes,"

Sam could hear the pure seriousness and urgency in her voice so he didn't need to be told twice. "See you soon,"

They hung up and moved into action as quickly as they could.

 **RxRxRxR**

The loud smack had vibrated off the walls of the house. The stinging of the hit caused tears to prick the corners of Rachel's eyes but she pushed them back, she refused to give them what they wanted. She tried to get free from the two football players holding her down but they were stronger then her. Quinn stood there, ready to give the next blow to her but she just chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"You think this hurts me?" Rachel asked, she looked up and you could see that they split open her left eyebrow, her lower lip was busted and her right cheek was cut open and bruised. Blood covered her face and her right arm became numb from all the pain to the point she couldn't feel it. "It's pathetic and weak," she spat. When she did, blood landed on Quinn's face and that angered the cheer captain. She landed a gut twisting punch to Rachel's stomach, one that caused all breath to leave her body.

Quinn instructed for the footballers to let her go and the moment they did, Quinn began to brutially kick Rachel in the stomach and face. She wouldn't stop, something inside of her just clicked and she couldn't stop herself from trying to smash the girls face in. The three cheerleaders began to fear that she might actually kill the girl and the two footballers had to look away.

"Quinn! You need to stop!" Stacey had grabbed the girls arm and tried to stop her but Quinn jerked it from her grasp and continued to kick at Rachel. She was finally pulled away, her legs kicking out but not connecting with anything as one of the footballers stepped in between her and Rachel. "You have to stop, we need to go," he said. Quinn let herself calm down before she gave him a nod and headed for the door. When she opened it though her heart sank at seeing who was there.

"I knew you were too fucking stupid to listen to me," She stepped back and let Puck and Sam in so they could tackle the two guys to the ground before they could find an exit and leave. She reached forward and grabbed Quinn by her throat and slammed her into the wall next to the front door.

"You are so fucking dead, you're going to wish you never laid a hand on Rachel," she stated and slammed the girls head into the wall.

Before she could slam her fist into Quinn's face though, she heard Rachel whimper.

"S-San...please don't, she...shes not worth jail,"

Santana looked over to where Rachel curled into a trembling ball and felt her heart break and her anger rise all at the same time. "Rach, look what she did to you,"

"I know...but..." she stopped to cough, blood coming out of her mouth. "She...will get her own...just let them go."

Santana clenched her jaw and looked up at Quinn.

"Make sure you bring Hazel back to me though," she heard Rachel mumble.

"Who's Hazel?" she asked. Santana turned around to see one of the cheerio's holding onto the leash to a Pit Bull, "Leave the dog and then get going," she hissed. The girl dropped the leash and the three ran out of the house. Hazel ran up to Rachel and began to sniff at her before whimpering. Rachel reached out to touch her and show she was okay, sort of.

Sam and Puck made sure the entire football team was aware to never touch Rachel again, if what they did to the two guys wasn't proof enough. They walked back inside and waited for Santana's next instructions.

"Puck, I want you to take Ice Queen home, make sure she gets there, I will call you when I need you again,"

Puck nodded his head and led Quinn outside to his truck.

"Sam, call Brittany and tell her that Rachel will be staying with me until she gets home monday, we have alot of things to discuss then,"

Sam gave his nod before leaving. Santana waited a beat before speaking.

"Rachel..."

"Don't, not right now. Just help me up so I can grab some clothes,"

 **RxSxRxS**


	6. You're not Worthless, You're Enough

**A/N:** So I woke up this morning and had some ideas brewing. I've had a few people ask me the Why's and How's. I've decided to put a little depth into this instead of just make it quick and fast. Like had some back ground to it. How everyone would fit it just right. I'm answering the main questions. So if you are still with me on this then I applaud you. And I appreciate it very much. I do plan on finishing this story. It's got great potential. So keep up with your wondering eyes. I shall give you all what you want.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything in this but my mistakes.

* * *

Santana had helped Rachel up into her room. It was still a wreck, the whole house was and the latina wasn't sure that she wanted to keep it that way. She sat the shorter girl on the bed before stepping back to adress her.

"We are staying here and I'm going to help you clean up your house over the weekend,"

Rachel looked up at her, she didn't feel well. Her entire body hurt like shit and all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for weeks. "If that's your way of saying that you don't want me to spend the night with you then just leave, I'll be fine,"

"That's not what I said Berry," Santana said through gritted teeth.

"Look, I'm not up for fighting and yelling, just get out of my house if you don't want to help me out with a place to stay for the time being, I'm sure Kurt wouldn't mind if I crashed with him for a bit,"

The loud smack of a fist hitting the wall got Rachel to shut up quick and raise her head so she was staring into the other girl's eyes.

"You have changed Rachel," Santana began. Rachel scoffed.

"You are not the same girl I fe-" she stopped herself and swallowed thickly before retrying, "You are no the same girl that entered high school with a care free attitude," Santana kept the girls eyes connected with her own, "Grades slipping because you refuse to go to school, drifting and pushing people away; including your best friends. You don't care what happens to you and you won't no one help you,"

"Why do you care?" Rachel asked softly but her eyes were angry.

"Because you have always believed in me when I couldn't even believe in myself,"

Rachel turned her head with another scoff, "I told you that I believed you one time, one time!" she raised a finger up as she looked hard at Santana, "over the fact that you didn't cheat on Puck with Finn and you think that gives you the right to stand there and act like I owe you some kind of redemption to prove yourself to me after I gave you chance after chance to be my friend for almost three fucking years?"

"You're forgetting the fact that you and I went to grade school Rachel, you have forgotten the fact that you always saw the best in me since day one,"

The tiny girl stared at Santana like she was crazy, "I never went to school with you until high school Santana," she stood up, weakly and tried to walk over to her closet. The taller of the two watched on as her confusion rivaled Rachel's.

"Berry, you're fathers enrolled you into the first grade here. It's where you and I met, it's were we made a bond together," her voice wavered a little, she was starting to get scared. "You don't remember the first gift I ever gave you on your birthday?"

Rachel stopped rifling through her clothes as her brain started flashing images, she remembered the first time meeting Santana and the first time they ever played together. She remembered the first ever sleep over they had and the stuffed animal they shared. The stuffed animal being Santana's since she was an infant. A stuffed monkey that was still as fuzzy as the day it was given to the latina. It was all coming back to her; so fast that she got dizzy and Santana had to rush forward and catch her.

She lowered them to the ground, holding onto Rachel, as she made sure the girl was okay. Rachel had one of her hands pressed to her forehead and her eyes squeezed tightly. She looked up and spotted the monkey stashed in the corner of the closet. Santana followed her line of vision and felt her heart race. "You still have it?"

"Y-You gave it to me, for my first birthday," Rachel closed her eyes again as she struggled to remember every detail. "Because I always asked you to bring it over when we would have sleeo overs,"

"Yes,"

Rachel opened her eyes once more to look at the girl still holding her, "Santana, what happened to me?" her voice broke just as she let the unwanted tears fall and her face pressing into the cheerleaders chest. Santana wrapped her arms around the shaking diva, holding her close.

"I don't know Rae, I don't know," Santana whispered as she smoothed out the diva's hair. She glanced over to see that Hazel was sitting there, watching them. Something about the way that the dog was staring at them kinda unnerved the latina.

 **RxSxRxS**


	7. I can fix you, You're not useless

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any one in this but Alex and my mistakes. Enjoy.

* * *

Once Rachel was asleep in her bed, Hazel soundly asleep at her feet, Santana walked downstairs to make a quick phone call. There was something going on here, something that didn't seem right and she had to figure it out. She decided to go outside as to not disturb the girl sleeping upstairs. Pulling her phone out of her pocket she dialed a number that she hadn't dialed in a long time and awaited as it rang.

It was a nervous habit she picked up when she was ten but standing there while her phone rang, she began to chew on the inside of her cheek. Breaking the skin a few times until she tasted blood. It would have gotten worse had the person on the other end didn't answer when they did.

" _Hello_?" came the groggy sleep filled answer. It's been almost four years since she heard the voice so she slightly panicked. " _Hello_?" they asked again, this time more urgent.

"Alex? It's Santana,"

She heard some covers rustling then a slight grunt before they finally spoke again. " _Tana, what's going on? It's been years since you've called me,"_

"I know, I'm sorry if I woke you,"

 _"No, it's okay. You're always welcome to call me at any time,"_

Santana let out a relieved sigh and leaned her body against the side of the porch. "I'm so confused, I don't even know what's going on and..." she lets out another sigh, this one shaky.

 _"Okay, okay. listen to me. Tell me what it involves and maybe I can help you out. I can't help you if you don't tell me wh-"_

"It's Rachel,"

The line instantly silented, she knew Alex was on the other end she could hear her soft breathing. Her heart began to race quicker then before when the older woman answered the phone as she waited.

 _"What's happened?"_

That's when Santana began to explain the past few months to Alex, telling her everything from her fathers leaving to Rachel buying the dog. Alex didn't make a sound, she listened quietly before she decided it was time to explain to Santana what was going on. Because it looked like the latina had no idea what was going, and Alex knew Santana had the right to know.

 _"Santana, where did you go during your seventh and eighth grade year?"_

The latina felt her eyebrows furrow in deeply as she wracked her brain for the past few years of her life. "My dad had a job opportunity in Miami, they kept him for a year and so my mom figured it would be a good idea to change schools for a little. I went to school there till my ninth grade year when we moved back about a week before school started back up in Lima," she explained, "Why?"

 _"Once I tell you this Santana you have to promise me that you will get Rachel into some kind of therapy. I don't care what it is, but it has to be something soon,"_

"Alex, whats-"

 _"Promise me Santana!"_

"Okay! Okay I promise,"

Santana heard Alex sigh and braced herself for what was about to come. But in her defense, she had no idea what she had just walked back into.

 **RxSxRxS**


	8. I will always find you, Don't be afraid

**A/N:** So I added a surprised guest in this. She's from a different show but it's not enough to make it a cross over. It's just one character and she shows up briefly in a few chapters. I'm not going to give away a lot of things just yet, what kind of writer would I be if I just gave you guys the truth right off the bat. I'll make you guys guess for a little while and fill in some small blanks before I actually give away the whole truth and hopefully along the way one of you guys can form out what happened to poor Rachel. It will get darker in some later chapters but I will warn you all when so no worries.

 **Disclaimer:** You all know the drill. None of this is mine except mistakes and Alex/Nicole.

* * *

"So tell me why you're here today, Rachel?"

"Becasue my friend is a bitch and made me come,"

The woman across from her gave a low chuckle, situation herself into her leather chair. She clicked her pen and let it hover over the yellow paper pad, "No one is making you come here Rachel,"

"So I can leave?"

"You may," the woman nodded with a small grin on her lips, "No one is forcing you to be here,"

Rachel got up from her chair and made for the door, "But I do want you to know that your friend is very worried about you and that she did this out of sheer will to help you get better,"

"I'm fine," the diva stated back to the woman and hand on the door knob.

"If you're fine, then why did she make this appointment for you?"

Rachel closed her eyes, she could feel the tears well up and she knew something was wrong with her, she knew there something major missing in her life. It would be a good thing to actually talk to this lady about whats wrong, talk to someone who could actually come up with real answers to the Why's and How's. Sure she hated Santana at that moment but sooner or later she'd thank her. Giving a sigh, the tiny girl pushed from the door and sat down on the couch.

"I suppose I'm here to find that out," she replied. The woman gave a nod.

"Then let's begin,"

 **RxRxSxS**

Santana needed answers as much as Rachel did, and with what Alex had told her the other night, she was bound to get them. All of them. She was currently sitting in the Fabray home, waiting for Quinn to meet her there. Her irritation level began to rise quickly with each ticking sound the grandfather clock in the hall way made. Moving in her spot, Santana crossed her leg over the other and leaned back, elbow in the arm of the couch and chin in her palm.

"What is it that you wanted Santana?"

The latina watched her ex-best friend finally walk into the room, with sass as she came to stand in front of Santana with her arms crossed.

"Why do you hate Rachel so much?"

The question caught the ice queen off guard but she instantly put her poker face on and sighed, "Because she's stolen everything I ever loved, she just took it right out of my hands without asking and it pissed me off,"

Santana raised a very neatly trimmed eyebrow at that and gave a simple hum.

"Quinn, have you forgotten the one main thing about your theory or have you suffered some kind of head trama as well?"

"What the fuck are you talking about Santana?"

She stood up and got inches from the blonde head's face, "Rachel was here first,"

Quinn clenched her jaw but said nothing.

"Now, I'm going to ask you again and I want you to tell me the truth," Santana drew back so she had space, "Why do you hate Rachel so much?"

 **SxSxRxR**

Rachel didn't know why she was still there, why she was having so much trouble answering all of these questions. The woman was making it seem like she knew the answers but everytime she was asked something a blank always popped up. It was terrible and she felt like crying from being so frustrated. Not at the doctor but at herself.

They both had been sitting in silence for about ten minutes and the session had about fifteen minutes left. The woman looked down to her notes and gave a sigh before grabbing her clip board and looking through Rachel's file she recieved from Santana the day before. She had read the thing numerous times and was still having a hard time trying to figure this girl out. Especially with nothing to go by.

"I guess thats-" she stopped herself when a certain section in the paper caught her attention. "Rachel, you did say that you had no other family members aside from your fathers, correct?"

"Yes ma'am," she answered lightly. She had been staring at her hands the entire ten minutes of silence.

"And you're sure this is accurate?"

Rachel nodded as she looked up meeting the woman's amused brown eyes. "Of course I'm sure, I've only ever known my fathers,"

"What about Alexandra Zantos?"

"I don't know her," replied Rachel truthfully. "Doctor Pri-"

"Please, call me Emily," the woman stated.

"Emily, what does she have to do with my past?"

The doctor tilted her head slightly before answering, "She's your cousin, Rachel,"

 **RxSxRxS**


	9. Finding out the truth, I'm glad I have U

**A/N:** I went ahead and added a bit more here. She had a dream that brought back a few more memories plus you guys might get a gist of what's going on. And if you guys are still confused, don't worry, everything will all come out in the end. The truth is there. Just wait for it.

 **Disclaimer:** Do I really have to repeat myself guys? You know what goes here. :)

* * *

 _I_ _couldn't stop crying, my heart hurt and my body was in so much pain. I had ran a mile from my house just to make it to my cousins. She was the only one I could talk to at this time, the only one who would listen to me. Santana wasn't here and I had no one. The rain was cold on my skin and I just wanted to die. But I knew that wasn't an option. Once I got to the famililar house, I ran up to the front door and began to bang on it repeatedly._

 _"Alex!" I scream over the loud waterfall like rain. I could hear someone running through the house before the door was ripped open to reveal my older cousin._

 _"Little Star, what are you doing here?" she looked around, "Are you here alone?"_

 _"I need to talk to you," I stated. She scanned my face then stepped aside to let me in. Once I was in the warmth of her home, I instantly began to cry and that brings us back to now. Alex had a towel wrapped around me on her couch as she held me against her, not really worried about getting wet. She let me cry it all out, not one time pushing me to tell her why I was there and I loved that about her._

 _When I had finally calmed down enough to actually speak, we went up to her room since her girlfriend was in the kitchen cooking. I didn't want her to know just yet, I trusted Nicole, I just wanted this to be between Alex and I._

 _"Now what's going on?"_

 _Taking in a deep sigh, I let it out slowly as it trembled before saying everything I needed to say to her._

 _"Alex, I'm-"_

Rachel shot up from her bed drenched in sweat and breathing shallowly. Her head pounded and her heart raced. She felt hot tears blend in with her sweat as she tried to calm herself down. Turning to see the clock on her bed side table, Rachel threw the blankets back and began to get dressed quickly.

"Emily, I know my appointment isn't suppose to be for another day," she spoke over the phone as she struggled to pull her jeans up. Hazel was sitting on the foot of the bed as she wagged her tail while watching her owner get dressed, "But I need to reschedule for today,"

 _"Rachel, slow down, what's wrong?"_

She stopped once her jeans were pulled up, "I remember Alex being my cousin,"

 **RxSxRxS\**

Santana had drove Rachel to her destination. She was the first person that the diva had called and made the latina girl feel happy in almost three years. When they pulled up to the front doors, Rachel turned around to face the latina and grabbed her hand. "When I'm done here, can we go back to your house so you can tell me what I missed?"

"What do you mean?"

"Help me remember everything about our relationship?"

The latina felt her stomach flutter but masked the emotion with a smirk, "Is that your way of asking me out on a date Berry?"

"It'd be a funny way of asking, but if you wanna see it that way then yes. I'm asking you out on a date, Lopez," Rachel cocked an eyebrow at the other girl. Santana laughed softly.

"I can get down with that," she nodded, "Go on, get your tiny butt in there,"

Rachel leaned over and pressed a tiny kiss to a tanned cheek, "I'll see you in an hour." then got out of the car and ran inside, leaving a flushed latina behind.

 **SxRxSxR**

Rachel had just finished telling her dream to her therapist and the air around them was quiet while the sound of a pen scribbling on paper was the only thing being heard. The younger girl watched the woman, waiting for her to say something. Finally after about five minutes, Emily lifted her head and smiled towards her patient.

"This is good Rachel, this is very good," she stated happily, "We are on our way to figuring out what you don't remember and you remembering that Alex is your cousin is a huge step. This means if you find her, you can find out the truth about some of the unanswered questions you have,"

"I think Santana keeps in contact with her, and I remember in my dream that she was dating some girl named Nicole..." Rachel trailed off which got Emily to tap her pen against her lower lip in wonder.

"I take it that you know someone with the name Nicole?"

"Not just the name, but she also happens to have Alex's last name," the girl's eyebrows were furrowed as she darted her eyes around trying to find somwthing in her head as to where she remembered seeing the woman.

Emily narrowed her eyes out of curiosity, "As in, married to your cousin?"

"Yes," Rachel whispered out just as she lifted her eyes to meet Emily's brown ones, a smile on her face. "She owns an animal shelter in Cincinnati with my cousin,"

"How do you know?"

"I bought a dog from her about two weeks ago maybe,"

The doctor and patient both smiled at each other, "You need to go back down there and see if you can't piece some things together. It's the only lead you have right now,"

Rachel sat there and thought for a second. The woman was right, she had to meet up with Nicole again, maybe her cousin would be there. But First she needed to figure out what was going on with her and Santana.

"I will call her tomorrow and make plans,"

"Why not today?" asked Emily. Rachel gave the woman a small smile.

"Because I have to figure out what Santana and I are. It's a big thing that's been haunting me." Rachel explained. "If it wasn't for her telling me that we knew each other since first grade, I wouldn't be here pieceing most of my life together,"

Emily smiled as she sat back, "I think that's a great idea Rachel," she then flicked her wrist over and checked her watch, "And I think we can stop there for now, I'll set up another session for next week and see where you've gotten so far,"

"Sounds like a plan, thank you Emily," Rachel stood up and shook the woman's hand before leaving the office feeling alittle lighter then before.

 **RxSxRxS**


	10. Deeper Conversation Pt 1

**A/N:** There's a part in this where you might have to go google something if you wanna know the joke. But if you already know it then kudos to you, I laughed my A** off when I found out about this. So I thought it would be a way to lighten this up a little. But as for the rest of the chapters, it's going to get darker which means I'm going to have to change the rating from T to M. Just a precaution is all.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't anyone in this. But my mistakes.

* * *

The girls had just came back from having lunch together at Bread Sticks and are now sitting on Santana's bed just staring at each other. Rachel had no idea what to ask, her brain was slightly fried from all that she's come to terms with. So as she sat cross legged, fiddling with a piece of Santana's comforter on the comfy bed, she waited for the taller girl to say something first. The owner of the nice and dark room they were in was sitting against the head board as she stared at her long time friend.

"I like your room, it's actually something I would never have guessed for you to have," Rachel decided to break the silence and speak first.

"What? You didn't think I'd have Bob Marley and Amy Winehouse on my walls?" the latina flicked some of her wavy black hair over her shoulder as she answered.

"No, not that," Rachel shot her a tiny glare that made the other girl chuckle, "I'm talking about the color."

Santana glanced around to see her walls; they were painted black with a slight glossy look to them, She personally like this color. "So you don't like the color?"

"No! I do like it, I'm just saying that I never pegged you as the dark type," Rachel explained, "I mean, you are a cheerleader,"

The latina shrugged, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want a bright ass room that I have to live with for the rest of my life. I mean even after high school I'll be visiting this room over holidays after I'm in college, so I wanted a color that not only made me feel comfortable but also I could deal with looking at everyday," she gave Rachel an incredulous look. The diva cocked an eyebrow at her friend.

"What?"

"That awful yellow color you got going on in that room of yours," she began, "It's an eyesore Rae,"

They both laughed, even Rachel hated the way her room looked. "It was my daddy's doing," her smile instantly left her lips at the mention of him. Something about the way she remembered him didn't seem so...happy anymore. Even though he left, she felt happiness over it she wasn't upset anymore. But ever since she started remembering her past, thinking about her dad was something she didn't want to do anymore.

Santana could see the way her tiny friend's mood changed quickly and she felt in her heart that Rachel had every right to hate her dad. Hell if Santana saw him one more time she'd make sure he wasn't even around to tell his daughter he was sorry for what he had done. But that wasn't the topic of the day, no the latina needed to explain the next part of Rachel's life to her in order for the girl to remember. Or at least tell her some of the things she knew was major.

"Look Rach, I don't want to tell you everything because I want you to try and remember on your own." she explained. Rachel nodded her head in agreement, "But I will tell you and show you somethings that will hopefully help you," Santana patted the scrap book in her lap, the same one Rachel had been eyeing for a while. She loved scrap books, they were like stories without words but spoke to you in many.

"Okay, the first thing I'm telling you is that we met in first grade,"

"I remember," Rachel nodded, "My fathers had just moved into our house and they enrolled me in late. So I didn't start school till after my birthday, right before christmas,"

 **-December 19th, 2000-**

 _"Class, this is Rachel Berry. She just moved here from New York so please give her big Lima welcome," a big lady with curly hair and glasses had said. I believe her name was Mrs. Litters, I wasn't for sure. Looking around, I watched as all the kids told me hello and a kind greeting before I took a seat near the back of the class. To say I was nervous would be a total understatment._

 _I watched as the lady began class while I clutched my Wizard of Oz lunch box my daddy had gotten me for my brithday._

 _"Okay class, since school will be letting out in a few days we will be continuing our christmas movies." Mrs. Litters spoke up to get the attention of her class, "We finished watching A Christmas Carol, so now we have five movies to choose from,"_

 _I was still looking around, all the kids were looking ahead, well everyone but one. A very pretty mexican girl who was a table away from me. She was staring at me with deep brown and intense eyes._

 _"Rachel?" my eyes snapped up to the front where I then saw the class and the teacher look at me, "Since you're new why don't you pick a movie,"_

 _Vaguely I think I remember her saying that she had Grinch which meant they hadn't watched it yet._

 _"Um...c-can we watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas?"_

 _I guess that was the right answer because everyone in the class cheered while Mrs. Litters smiled kindly at me, "I see we all have our pick then," she removed the VCR tape and placed it into the VCR. Out of the corner of my eyes, I spotted someone sitting next to me and when I looked I couldn't help but to jump._

 _"Did I scare you?" it was the mexican girl from eariler and this time she was sitting next to me. Honestly she kind of creeped me out a little from how intense her stare was._

 _"J-Just a little," I stuttered out of nervousiness._

 _"My names Santana Lopez," she held out her hand to me and I stared at it for a long time before I knew she wouldn't pull it away so I just grabbed it and she shook my hand._

 _"I'm Rachel Berry,"_

 _"It's nice to know that you like good movies Rae, Mrs. Litters was really picking boring movies," she smiled and when she did I swear I felt my heart swoon, or was that me? "I'm glad you moved here," she said softly._

 _I smiled and felt my cheeks grow hot as I looked down, "I'm glad I did too,"_

 **-Present time-**

"I creeped you out?" Santana asked as her jaw dropped. Rachel giggled. "Why didn't you ever tell me that, sheesh I didn't know my 'Smizing' game was that strong back in first grade,"

Rachel all out laughed when Santana made that comment, she fell back on the foot of the bed and held her stomach as she laughed loud and strong. The latina watched on in confusion but still held a smile. "Why are you laughing like that?"

She waited for a while, at least until Rachel calmed down, before she expected an answer. Once the tiny girl took in gulps of air to calm herself she looked at her friend as she wiped off the laughing tears.

"Santana, do you know what Smize means?"

"Of course I do, I watch America's Next Top Model after all," Santana placed a hand on her chest, "Tyra is a model goddess,"

Rachel shook her head with light giggles, "Theres another meaning to that word,"

"What?"

The diva leaned forward, using her free hand to support herself as she cupped Santana's ear and told her what she knew. As she explained it, Santana's eyes grew wide with shock then her face twisted in disgust.

"EEEWWW!" she pulled back just as Rachel did stared at the girl, "That's fucking gross!"

 **RxSxRxS**


	11. Deeper Conversation Pt 2

**A/N:** Okay so I'm telling you guys this because I see the mistake I made. In chapter six i wrote that Rachel remembered Santana giving her stuffed monkey to her for her first birthday. Technically what I was going for there was Santana gave it to her on the very first birthday she had ever attended for Rachel. Which at this point would have been her Seventh birthday. So just excuse that mistake and read on. Again, I do apologize for that screw up.

 **A/N2:** This chapter shows you how Alex fits into the story. I spent about an hour just trying to figure out the time frame for everyone. As I was, I came to terms that this is technically an AU story so I went ahead and twisted it a bit in the time area. But I did keep it as close to how the shows time frame was. If I messed up in the time frame then just let me know. But I hope I did it justice. But keep in mind, this is AU.

 **Disclaimer:** Mistakes and Alex are the only thing that I own in this. The rest isn't mine. (Maybe except the plot)

* * *

 **-December 15th, 2001-**

 _It was my birthday and I remember inviting Santana first before anyone else. I got picked on for it by a few of the girls and boys at recess._

 _"You have a crush on Santana? Is that why you gave her a invitation first?" a girl named Stacey Conway tease as she poked my shoulder. A little too hard; she was bigger then me after all._

 _"She's my best friend Stacey, so back off," I felt someone grab the back of my shirt lightly and pull me back so they could stand in front of me. When I noticed that it was Santana, I instantly gripped the back of her shirt and hid._

 _"So that means you get the invitation first?"_

 _"Yes it does," bit Santana. "Now stop being a figgin' drama queen and bugger off, you got an invite which means you're invited. If you don't stop I'll go tell Rachel's dads that you were being mean to her and they take you off the birthday list,"_

 _They both stared off before Stacey sighed and turned away, "Fine, I'll leave her alone," she said then walked off. I stepped back and let Santana turn to me._

 _"I'm your best friend?" I asked._

 _I watched her smile and swooned again, "Yes, you are,"_

 **-December 18th, 2001-**

 _Everyone that I had given an invite to came to my birthday. Even my friends; Tina, Mike, Matt, Dave, Noah, Becky, Artie, and McKinzie. Santana stayed by my side the entire time, and if she didn't then one of my friends did. Mainly Noah and Kinzie._

 _My fathers had rented out the entire bounce house building. I think it was called Bouncy time Fun Place or some off the wall weird thing like that. But it was pretty fun having the entire place to your self with all your friends. There were three different rooms that were attached to each other. The first room had a huge bounce house with an attachable slide. The second room had like three big obstacle courses and the third was a room that was covered in trapolines. Even on the walls. I had to say that this place was amazing._

 _I stayed in the bounce house with Santana, Noah and Kenzie as we all talked about what our parents had planned for christmas. Kinzie was going to Colorado to spend time with her grand parents while Noah was headed to Texas where his mothers parents were. I turned to Santana and she just smiled at me._

 _"Mom wants to stay in Lima, she invited your dads over for the christmas party she's throwing so that means you get to come spend the night that weekend,"_

 _When she said that I lightened up instantly. Spending the night over at the Lopez's house was like a dream for me. I got to be with my best friend for hours plus I got to cook and spend time with Santana's mom. I never had a mother growing up, so being able to have a mother figure in my life was a huge treat for me. And what made things better was that she was my best friends mother and Santana told me that she didn't mind sharing her mom with me._

 _"Oh I'm so excited," I clapped and leaned over to hug Santana._

 _Santana and I had a special bond, one that was going to mean the absolute world to me in the future. It also was going to become my biggest heart break. But I was seven so at the time it didn't really peak any of my interests._

 _" Kids! It's time for presents then cake!" I heard my dad announce. It was like a stampede towards the party area of the building and I'm pretty sure the adults faces were funny to look at. Once everyone was sitting, my fathers began to hand me present after present. I said 'thank you' to all the people who had given me something. But it wasn't till I got to Santana's present that I was actually really nervous. If I had known that the feeling I had for Santana when I was that young was love I probably would have held on a lot tighter then I had at the time._

 _I opened up the white cardboard box after ripping the paper to shreds and gasped when I saw Mr. Cuddles, the blue fuzzy monkey Santana always brought over to sleep overs. I looked to her with a wide smile, and if I had been older I would be crying out of happiness like I am now while I tell you this story._

 _The monkey meant so much to me for many reasons; one being that I fell in love with it the first day Santana brought it over for a sleep over. (Much like I had fallen in love with it's owner when we first met.) The other reason was because that monkey was given to Santana when she was just an infant. It was her favorite stuffed animal and she always slept with it, and she had willingly given it to me. If that isn't love then I have no idea what is._

 _"Thank you Tana, so much," I said after I hugged her tightly._

 _"You're welcome Rae," she had mumbled._

 **-Present time-**

"I remembered that I slept with that thing every night. It was my prized posession because you gave it to me, knowing how much I loved it," explained Rachel. Santana just smiled while she watched the diva. She then opened the scrap book and saw the first picture, which made her smile wide. Pulling it out, she held it in her hand just to look it over before she placed it in front of Rachel.

"Do you remember when this was taken and where at?" she asked.

Rachel picked up the photo. She was in it, in a two piece bathing suit, with her arm wrapped around Santana who was in the same thing just different colors. Their hair was wet and they stood in front of a very beautiful beach. They both looked a little older in this picture.

"I do remember, this was...right around your 13th birthday. Before sixth grade started,"

"Do you remember where we were and who we were with?'

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows as she concentrated very deeply on the question. She wanted to remember so badly and seeing the picture helped but it wasn't enough. As if reading her mind, Santana pulled out another picture along with a tiny tiki token and placed it in front of Rachel. The girl set the picture in her hand down and picked up the other two items. In this new picture, it was of Santana, Rachel and...

"Alex?"

 **-August 1st-15th, 2007-**

 _Santana and I had become attached to the hip over time. We did almost everything together and we always wanted it to be that way. Like now, Santana was going to Hawaii for her 13th birthday and she invited me to come along. But my cousin had came down for a visit before she went off to college in Cincinnati. Santana had met Alex a few times before when she started visiting more often. But she had just graduated high school and she was going straight into college for four years of Vet School._

 _"Well, she can tag along, I don't mind," Santana had agreed, "I mean I do like your cousin, she's nice to you and she actaully cares alot about you, plus she'd be the perfect person to take us to the places I want to go while my parents stayed behind," she had explained to me. I actaully took that into consideration before I asked my cousin. She was completely on board with it._

 _"More time with two the main women in my life before I'm off to more learning for four years, why not," she smiled widely at me._

 _So it was settled. Alex and I would travel to Hawaii with the Lopez's for Santana's birthday and we'd be back in time for Alex to go home and pack while Santana and I got ready for the beginning of Middle school. It was actually great timing in everything, that it all seemed too good to be true. Except nothing bad happened to us. We took the plane, got there safely on time and had a blast._

 _I do remember having that picture taken of Santana and I by the beach. We had snuck off with Alex to a secluded beach away from the hotel we were staying in and decided to swim there. Goof off a little. Santana handed Alex her new camera she got on her birthday the night before and demanded for a picture with me._

 _The feeling I got when Santana wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed my cheek was something beyond that of how I felt when my fathers kissed my cheek. I didn't think I could ever be that happy in that moment of my entire life._

 _On the last day of our trip, Santana had her mother take a picture of all three of us standing near the tiki totum poles near the entrance of the hotel. Santana was in the middle, Alex on one end and I on the other as we all smiled bright and big. It was...I guess you could say...the calm before the storm._

 **-Present Time-**

"I was happy, so happy to have the two main people in my life with me," Rachel explained.

"It was also the first time I kissed you,"

Rachel blushed, "I know, you kissed my cheek and I felt like I was going to-"

"No, I mean real kiss,"

"Huh?" the diva raised her head up quickly and furrowed her eyes at what her friend had said. "What do you mean?"

"I kissed you on that same beach that same night after Alex walked off. I told her what I was doing and she walked away to give us some privacy," Santana pulled out another picture, "She took this while she hid in the bushes near us without either of us knowing,"

Rachel took the picture and sure enough, young her and young Santana were kissing just as the sun began to set. It made her heart swell at the sight and she could tell that she was happy then.

 **RxSxRxS**


	12. Deeper Conversation Pt 3

**A/N:** This chapter pretty much sums up how Santana fits into Rachel's life. It also gives you a little insight on why Quinn's such a b***h. Honestly, she's a b***h because she just is. I have no explanation for it. And I think later on somewhere Santana might actually get her chance to smash her face in. I'm not sure just yet.

 **Disclaimer:** You all know the drill. Characters not mine. Just borrowing them. (Also, I feel like if I don't do a disclaimer on all my chapters then I'd get in trouble for it. xD better to be safe then sorry, right?

* * *

"Do you remember the year of our Seventh grade?"

"Like as in before the school year started or during?"

"During,"

Rachel sighed, "Yes, Brittany started here a little after the school year started and we kinda sorta took her in under our wing after we saw Azimio bully her over not knowing where she was going,"

"Exactly, what else do you remember about that year?"

Rachel looked down at her jeans and picked on the seam of them, she knew where this was going, but she had to remember.

 **-September of 07' into year 08'-**

 _Brittany had entered our group by choice. I hated seeing her being bullied because she was a little slow, or she acted like it. But either way, she wormed her way into mine and Santana's hearts easily and I loved having two best friends rather then one. Even though Santana was more then a best friend to me. But as the rest of my seventh grade went on I was beginning to see Brittany and Santana grow closer._

 _It was like watching my two best friends live life without me, like I was stuck behind a screen that I couldn't break. And it hurt me alot. I'm not saying that they never included me in things that they did, they always included me. Santana made sure of it. But it was like Santana traded me for Brittany because it was always them talking at the lunch table then turning my way to ask for my second opinion. Like I guess that's how it was suppose to be right? Maybe I was just paranoid._

 _No, it got worse when a girl named Quinn moved here right around a week after halloween. She looked like one of those preppy girls I had seen on tv with Santana when we watched those shows. She was even mean like them, she would always put down girls if they looked ugly in the clothes they wore._

 _Before my birthday she had wormed her way into our group and pretended to be friends with me so she could get to Santana and Brittany. And I say pretend because when I was ever alone with her, which I tried not to be, she would bully me. Told me I was worthless and that no one loved me. She would dog on my choice of clothing and tell me that I was an abomination, that god was disappointed how I turned out. She even told me that I should just kill my self so everyone would be happy._

 _I did think about telling Santana and even Brittany about what she had told me and what she was doing to me but Quinn decided to shoot that idea down quick._

 _It was a few weeks before may, and the end of another school year. I had invited the gang over for a sleep over when Quinn pulled me aside to talk to me. Well, rather grab my arm tightly where there was a bruise the next day and then yell at me._

 _"I know you plan on telling Santana and Brittany about what I've been saying to you and I swear to everything, if you even dare say anything to them about it, you won't have to worry about killing yourself because I'll do it for you,"_

 _I feared Quinn so much because I wasn't use to the bullying. So I feared that she actually might want to kill me for real. After that night, I drifted off from the group and just became a loner._

 _And then I was told by Santana that she was leaving for a year after the summer. That just crushed my world even more. I shut down instantly and didn't talk to anyone for the entire summer. I didn't even let Santana come over anymore. The day she had left, I sat in my room and listened to sad songs all night as I cried myself to sleep. It was also the first night I took a razor to my skin._

 **-Present Time-**

The girls sat on the bed quietly as they both let the new information sink in slowly. Santana was furious though, she couldn't believe Quinn lied to her the other day. She knew the story about how Rachel had it all and was lucky to have it so she wanted it, was as fake as she was. She thought about going over there and punching the bitch in her face but when she spotted the lone tear travel down Rachelk's cheek she thought better of it and that beating Quinn to a bloody pulp would have to wait.

"Why did you pull away from me Tana?" Rachel looked up and Santana instantly felt her heart break at the sadden and tearful look the tiny girl was giving her. "If I was the girl you fell in love with first, why did you let Brittany and Quinn get in the middle of that?"

"I..."

"I mean fuck!" Rachel stood up and began to pace around the room. It had gotten dark outside so they had been at it for hours, but there really was no time limit. "Now that I remember a lot of it, I remember every emotion I ever felt when you were ever involved in anything in my life and I loved you the day I caught you looking at me so intensely."

"Rachel-"

"I mean yeah, it was creepy but I still fell for you. And you let two people get in the middle of that. I love Brittany dearly and I'm not mad at her, I'm more mad at you then anything else, so why?" She turned to the floundering girl, "Tell me why you gave up on me so easily?"

Santana stood up and made to get closer to the girl but Rachel stepped away from her with a shake of her head, "Don't touch me right now, just answer me,"

"I panicked Rae, we were so young and to feel all of those feelings and emotions at once for one person was crazy. I mean I'm not saying that all of this still doesn't apply to now since we are only 18, we're still really young," Santana started, "But after leaving for a year then struggling to see you go through all of that from our freshmen year to now just brought back all of those feelings and not only that but to find out that you forgot about me while I was gone hurt like hell," she was crying now. All of the pent up saddness she felt was finally coming out and she didn't care because she was with the one person she could truely be herself around.

"I come back and you completely ignore me, saying that you had never met me before because you had just moved here. At first I thought it was a joke until I talked to Brittany about it, even Kurt, and they both said that you just kind of lost it during your eight grade year, so much that they thought you lost your memory to forget about it all," she sniffled as her crying stopped and she looked dead on towards Rachel.

"Then I called Alex, after four years of no contact with her, I called her to ask her what went on and she told me,"

Rachel could see that Santana was hiding something from her, "Told you what?"

"Rae, I think-"

"Told you what!?"

"I can't tell you because it's not my place to, you need to hear it from her at least,"

 **SxRxSxR**


	13. The Climax is Rising

**A/N:** I'm sorry about this delay on this. I've been dealing with some reality stuff and it pretty much took me away from this. I'm thinking about ending this sooner then what I wanted. I'm moving back home in the next month or so, so that means I wont be on much. But I want to finish this for you guys the best I can. But thank you for sticking around for more. I do hope you like these two chapters I'll be uploading.

 **Disclaimer:** Mistakes, Alex/Nicole are all mine. The rest is not mine at all.

* * *

At this point Rachel didn't care what time it was at night, she needed some answers and she needed them now. She called her cousin, in which she hadn't had any contact with in years. But she sat on Santana's bed with her eyes forward and her lower lip locked between her teeth as she chewed on it out of nervousness. The ringing in her ear from the reciever felt like it was an eternity for just one ring to go off. But after about the fourth ring the line picked up and a groggy voice was heard on the other side, as well as a very familiar one to the diva that the girl began to tear up.

" _Santana, why must you call me late at night, some people has work you know_ ," Alex spoke in her sleepy voice, " _Besides, don't you have school in the mor_ -"

"A-Alex?'

There was silence on the other end. Almost as if the person fell asleep but then there was a slight in take of breath before, " _Rachel_?"

The diva let out a sob as she placed her hand over her mouth and the tears she had held began to fall. "You remember my voice, you know it's me?" she asked over her hand.

" _Of course I do, you're my cousin, you are everything to me Little Star_ ,"

"But why? You have Nicole now,"

 _"Nicole is my soulmate, that much is true and she means the world to me. But you are my other half Rachel, you remind me so much of my mother that when she died I promised myself I would do anything to protect you. I love you the same way I love my mother, and that will never change,"_

Rachel let soft sobs leave her lips while she listened to her cousin speak. She was so happy, happy to know that there was one last family memeber that actually cared for her.

 _"Look, come over so we can talk."_

"Now?" Rachel sniffed as she asked.

 _"Of course now, I wanna see you. And I'm sure Santana wouldn't mind bringing you,"_

Rachel looked up to see Santana sitting in her computer chair, arms crossed and staring at her intently. The same way she did back in first grade except this time the look was much softer and loving. "Okay, I'll see you in a little bit,"

 **RxSxRxS**

Alex had moved to Cincinnati to start up her animal shelter a few years back so Rachel wasn't surprised to know that her cousin's old house was already sold out to someone else. She was surprised to know that Santana knew where her new house was in the city, but she was in no mood to question it. She hadn't talked to Santana since their conversation back in her room and she had a love/hate relationship with the silence between them. She wanted so bad to say something, anything but something told her not to. To just keep quiet until after she talked to her cousin, so thats what she did.

Santana was quiet because she was afraid to piss Rachel off even more then she already was at her and with what the diva was about to find out, she knew the girl would need her support right now. Not Santana's pathetic attempt at trying to make things better. That could be for later, right now Rachel needed to know the truth.

"We're here," Santana announced as she pulled up behind a huge black Dodge truck. She parked the car and turned it off as the two sat inside but didn't move to get out. They saw that there was only one light on in the house and it was in the living room. The house looked like any dream home. Beautiful navy blue paint on the outter walls, grey brick roof top with the same bricks that made two pillers for the front door archway. It looked as if the front door was pushed back to create a divider for the garage on the left side and the living room area on the right side. It looked to be a two story house.

"I'm going to guess here and say that the truck belongs to Nicole," stated Rachel.

"Yep,"

She looked over to the vehicle next to the truck, it was a newer model typed car and looked stunning in the midnight blue color. "That's Alex's car?"

"Yes ma'am, a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat,"

Rachel felt as if she was happy her cousin was so wealthy, it made things seem alot easier to her now that she knew that. Her eyes glanced over to the window as she saw Alex sit down in the chair near the window. The feeling of her heart quickening in pace made this all the more real to her, and whatever her cousin has to say makes Rachel that much more scared to know what actually happened to her and why she forgot.

"Shall we do this?" Santana broke through her thoughts when she spoke, the diva looked up at her and nodded before opening the door and stepping out. She looked up at the stary night sky, feeling the adrenaline course through her. It was the only thing keeping her awake right now and so she relied on it. It was going to be a long as day that's for sure.

Rachel shut her door and moved back to open the back door of Santana's black 2014 Land Rover Ranger Rover Evoque. She found Hazel laying there and smiled when the dog lifted her head up. She reached her hand out to bet the dog which she began to wag her tail. "Come on, let's go see cousin Alex," she said softly and grabbed her leash just as the dog hopped out the back of the vehicle. They walked up to the door next to Santana and knocked, awating for someone to answer.

Ten seconds, Rachel counted, the door opened to reveal a wide awake Alex Zantos in black sweats and a grey t-shirt. Her long black hair was pulled in a messy pony tail and her sky blue eyes locked onto Rachel's brown orbs. "Rachel," she whispered before she stepped forward and engulfed the tiny girl in a massive hug. She almost let go of the leashes handle till Santana took ahold of it to allow Rachel the power to wrap her own arms around Alex's shoulders and return the hug wholeheartedly. "God I've missed you so damn much, I hate your fathers for what they did. For making me lose contact with you, I fucking hate them,"

Rachel buried her face into Alex's neck as she listened and felt her cousin begin to tremble. She pretty much held the elder girl as she cried, inhaling the sweet coconut lotion her cousin still uses. It was mixed with something even sweeter, maybe with a floral smell. Like, cherry blossom? She was pulled from her thoughts again when Alex pulled away and offered them to come inside so they could talk. Rachel chose to sit next to Nicole, who hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The woman was extremely beautiful and it made Rachel blush when she kissed her,

"I see you brought Hazel with you," Nicole had said. The dog was laying on the floor near Rachel, "She's quite attatched to you,"

The diva looked down to the dog and smiled, "She's been great ever since I got her, protecting me like a good dog,"

"I gave her to you in eight grade,"

Rachel looked up at her cousin when she said this and furrowed her brows. "Why was she at the animal shelter?"

"Your fathers let her go on the side of the road the night you lost your memory," Alex glanced at Nicole then turned her head to look at Santana who was sitting next to her before looking back at Rachel, "I found her on my way home and tried to take her back to you but my uncle said she tried to bite your father so I took her with me and raised her. The day you called the shelter about buying a dog, Nicole was the one to answer the phone and when she found out who was calling, she called me after and I brought Hazel to the shelter so you would see her and hopefully take her home with you,"

"I knew she looked familiar to me," Rachel looked back down to the pit and reached down to scratched behind her ear. The other three women watched her, then Alex let out a low sigh before speaking.

"Rachel, you need to know what happened,"

"Then tell me," she said and sat up to look into her cousin's eyes, "It's another reason why I'm here,"

Alex just stared at Rachel, trying to figure out how she was going to start this. She didn't want to just jump right into it. She threaded her fingers together and dropped the gaze to look down at her hands, she spotted the scars on her arm and hand. "You remember the night you came to me, it was raining and you ran away from home,"

"That was a dream," Rachel stated.

"No, it actaully happened,"

 **RxSxRxS**


	14. The Climax Comes Full Force

**Disclaimer:** Alex and Nicole along with Mistakes are mine. Nothing else is.

* * *

 **-September '08-**

 _I couldn't stop crying, my heart hurt and my body was in so much pain. I had ran a mile from my house just to make it to my cousins. She was the only one I could talk to at this time, the only one who would listen to me. Santana wasn't here and I had no one. The rain was cold on my skin and I just wanted to die. But I knew that wasn't an option. Once I got to the famililar house, I ran up to the front door and began to bang on it repeatedly._

 _"Alex!" I scream over the loud waterfall like rain. I could hear someone running through the house before the door was ripped open to reveal my older cousin._

 _"Little Star, what are you doing here?" she looked around, "Are you here alone?"_

 _"I need to talk to you," I stated. She scanned my face then stepped aside to let me in. Once I was in the warmth of her home, I instantly began to cry and that brings us back to now. Alex had a towel wrapped around me on her couch as she held me against her, not really worried about getting wet. She let me cry it all out, not one time pushing me to tell her why I was there and I loved that about her._

 _When I had finally calmed down enough to actually speak, we went up to her room since her girlfriend was in the kitchen cooking. I didn't want her to know just yet, I trusted Nicole, I just wanted this to be between Alex and I._

 _"Now what's going on?"_

 _Taking in a deep sigh, I let it out slowly as it trembled before saying everything I needed to say to her._

 _"Alex, I'm-" I stopped, could I really tell her what I found out today, what I had to keep from my daddy and from...my father. I saw Alex reach out to grab my hand, I let her and the warmth of it told me that I could trust Alex, I could always trust her. So I raised my eyes up and met hers, tears in mine, "I'm pregnant Alex,"_

 **-Present Time-**

"What do you mean I was pregnant, I never had sex in life," Rachel stated.

"Rachel, you..." Alex stopped, this was alot harder then she thought it would be. The day Rachel told her she could barely stand to hear it but now that she was the one retelling the story, it was alot harder.

"I what Alex?" the diva was beginning to get angry, it was like everyone was talkling in riddles around her and it pissed her off. They treated her like a kid. "I'm almost 18, I'm tired of everyone treating me like a fucking child, tell me what the hell is going on!" she shouted. Santana and Nicole flinched but Alex just stared at her cousin with a blank expression on her face; she didn't even move an inch at the outburst.

"You need to calm down," she spoke calmly.

"No, I'm tired of being calm, you need to stop fucking around and tell me what the fuck is going on!" Rachel scooted on the edge of her seat but remained seated. Alex just stared at her.

"Calm down Rachel," Alex said again, this time a little more stirnly.

"Or what? You going to ground me?" Rachel scoffed, "Going to spank me and send me in time out? Oh that's right, you have no authority of doing none of those things because you were never around when I needed you!"

No one knew where this sudden outburst came from and quite frankly it was kind of scary but Alex watched her cousin as she spoke. Watched her begin to tremble and watched the cold look in her eyes grow even colder. Rachel was remembering something and Alex knew it was only a matter of time before the girl snapped so badly that there would be no coming back from it.

"Santana left me, dropped me like that." the latina went to open her mouth and say something but Alex placed a hand on her thigh and when she looked to the older woman, she saw Alex still staring at Rachel but she shook her head. "You left me, I was nothing to you after you met Nicole," Rachel sneered at her cousin. Nicole knew this would happen, Alex made sure to tell her of it so she prepared herself of anything the diva would dish out. "Then my fathers left me. Told me I was nothing to them. I'm just nothing to everyone and maybe Quinn was right, maybe I need to just kill myself-"

 **SMACK**

The room was silent. Hazel only raised her head to see what had happend and saw Rachel's head turned towards her but brown hair covered her face. Alex stood over her with an angry look on her face.

"I am not like everyone else, I don't give a shit what the fuck I say because you need tough love." she hissed, "You EVER say you want to kill yourself again I'm going to smack the taste out of your mouth. I'm tired of the way you think low of everyone, yes Santana left and did the things she did but she's here now, isn't she?"

Rachel glanced over at the latina, who was standing now. She looked worried and it made the diva's heart swell.

"She came back and she wants to make it better. You are the one pushing her away." Alex kneeled in front of her cousin and cupped her cheeks, careful of the one she just slapped, "What I'm about to tell you Rachel isn't easy by any means and you are going to need to hold on to everyone you love because pushing them away will only make it worse,"

Rachel looked into Alex's eyes and saw nothing but truth.

"I never left you, I was always around. I made sure to check on you, Nicole did from time to time as well. We just couldn't be seen because your fathers ordered for me to stay away otherwise they would put a restraining order on me," the heat from her slap could be felt on the palm of her hand so she stood up and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed an ice pack, wrapped it in cloth and walked back into the living room where she handed it to Rachel.

"Why did they do that?" asked Rachel.

"Because..." Alex stopped to lick her lips and sigh softly, "...when you told me you were pregnant I asked you who it was from. You hesitated at first but then you finally told me. You told me that your..." tears welled up in her eyes and she lifted her head to meet Rachel's, "Rachel, your father had been raping your for three months, after Santana left. You fathers had been fighting alot after your father lost his job in May, your father began to drink and stay home while your dad worked."

Rachel stared wide eyed at her cousin. Alex took in a shaky breath but continued.

"He found you cutting yourself one night and said he wouldn't tell your dad if you did something for him, you agreed and when he started to take your clothes off you resisted. He then just..." Alex stopped as a sob left her mouth. Nicole was fighting back tears as she looked to the ground and Santana stayed standing with her hands fisted.

"The only reason you didn't tell on him was because he knew about your cutting, so you fought night after night. You never stopped fighting, then when you found out you were pregnant you ran to me and told me everything. Every fucking detail that scumbag fucker did to you," Alex had her arms at her sides now, fisting the pant legs of her sweats in her hands. "I made you stay with Nicole while I went to talk to them. I met my uncle outside just as he pulled up and I told him. He was furious. So he confronted your father and he ended up telling your dad everything. Even about your cutting."

"They didn't know about your baby, so when I took you back I watched them..." Alex stopped talking as a louder sob made it's way out of her throat, she was shaking. Rachel was still frozen in spot. "...I watched your father beat you. For telling me. My uncle...your dad...that son of a bitch...when I see him I will kill him." Alex punched the floor, "He made me watch your father beat you. Kick after kick I screamed for them to stop but they wouldn't. Then your father kicked you in the head so hard you had a concussion."

Alex stopped, she had to. She had to take a moment to stop crying. Rachel was so stunned that she still hadn't moved. The older girl looked up at her and cupped her cheek, Rachel flinched but then relaxed into it as tears began to fall freely. "What else?" she whispered.

"You lost your memory, your fathers told me to never speak of it. And to make sure I never did they threatened to put a restraining order on me. So I moved, I had no choice. I knew that when Santana came back you would remember it all so I waited. I waited four years but I waited. And now you know everything,"

Rachel looked up at Santana, "You didn't know any of this?"

"Not until after I found you in the position you were in after Quinn messed with you,"

"I'm not even going to ask what happend, I can't beat up a minor," Alex said through clenched teeth.

"It's okay Alex, I've got that part under control," Santana stated.

The older woman looked back to her cousin who was trying to process all of this in one go. She looked over at her wife and gave her a sad smile. Nicole returned it then looked out the window. Dawn was already starting to show, it really was going to be a long day.

 **RxSxRxS**


	15. The Calm Before The Storm

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Santana or Rachel, just Alex and Nicole and any mistakes.

* * *

Once both Rachel and Nicole went upstairs to lay down and try to sleep, Alex walked outside to have a little breather. It was way past seven in the morning and she knew that she wasn't going to have much sleep that day, if none at all. She opened her car door and sat inside to dig through her center console before pulling out a old pack of Camel Crush cigarettes. Grabbing her zippo lighter, the older woman shut her door then walked back inside where she walked through the living room then kitchen to get to the back patio. She found Santana sitting at one of the tables and joined her.

"I thought you would be in bed," she spoke first as she pulled out two cigarette's and lit them before handing one of them to the younger girl. Santana took it and was relieved for the nicotine that entered her lungs. She exhaled out and watched the white cloud disappear into the morning sky.

"No, can't really sleep after all that went down," Santana answered, "You would think I could sleep fine and that it would be Rachel out instead but I know how bad she needs sleep and me, I just worry so much about her that I can hardly sleep anymore,"

"I understand what you mean but you can't stop sleeping, it's not good for you," stated Alex after she took a drag of her own cigarette. "Plus you won't be able to function right in school and if Rachel needs help what happens if you're too tired to defend her,"

Santana knew the older woman was making great points, Alex was always the one who gave the latina the truth without sugar coating anything. "I know. I promised myself I would buy some kind of sleep aid pills to help me,"

"If I promise you that Nicole and I will move back to Lima to help keep an eye on Rachel will you promise me to try and sleep more, hell I'll pay for the sleep pills, just promise me you'll try,"

The latina girl was quiet for some time while she thought on Alex's words; the idea of her coming back to Lima was actaully a very exciting thought so of course she would do anything she could to keep that idea a reality. She turned to Alex and gave her small smile with a nod. "Yeah, I'll try,"

"Good choice," Alex gave a chuckle then took another drag. They both stared as the sun began to rise a little more into the sky before Alex spoke once again. "Nicole and I had been talking about moving back to Lima for a while. Then when you called me and told me that Rachel's fathers had left it made the conversation that much more real so we had decided that next weekend we were going to be moving,"

"What about this house?"

"Well we bought it so it's technically ours. And since we have money we know we can afford another house in Lima, besides everything in Lima is alot cheaper then here in Cincinnati. So I think we will be fine and besides if I really have to I could just out buy my uncles house since he's not here anymore," Alex gave a shrug as she put her cigarette out in the ash tray in the middle of the table before leaning back into her seat.

"Why did they leave anyways, I mean it sounds to me like they would stay just so you couldn't get to Rachel and keep her in the dark for as long as they could," Santana had decided to ask since that was one of the biggest questions that had been nagging at her for a while now.

"I got a call from someone I had never even met before claiming they were friends with Rachel and that they wanted to help her. Of course I had to find out who they were but they wouldn't tell me, all they said was that they knew what had happened to Rachel because their father was a doctor and he was the one to tend to Rachel after her father beat her," Alex stopped as she fisted her hands at the thought of that day. "They told me that while Rachel was in the hospital recovering from her head injury her doctor revealed that she had a miscarriage and that when he told her fathers, they had told him to keep quiet about it and not to tell Rachel of any of it,"

"So after this person called me, I decided to call Rachel's doctor and tell him what I knew. He said he would look into it and about a week later he called me saying that he did everything he could," Alex pulled out another cig and offered another to Santana, she took it. "Obviously he did because I got that call from you. But as for the reason they left, I don't know for sure. All I know is that Dr. Pierce did what he could and-"

"Wait!" Santana sat up straighter and looked at Alex, "Dr. Pierce as in Pierce Pierce?"

Alex looked at the girl and raised an eyebrow, "Why does that man have his first and last name the same damn name?" when she didn't get a response from her but an expected look she sighed and nodded, "Yes that's the same exact Dr. I'm talking about,"

"And was the person you talked to over the phone, was it a girl?"

"Now that you mention it yeah, maybe a teen like you and Rachel," nodded Alex as she placed the lit cigarette between her lips to take a pull off of it.

Santana smiled widely, "Oh Brittany you smart smart girl," she said softly. Alex glanced over to the excited girl.

"I assume you know her,"

"Yeah, she's been mine and Rachel's best friend since seventh grade,"

Alex cocked an eyebrow, "You talking about the tall blonde girl. The one who acts ditzy as fuck but is actually smarter then what everyone thinks she is?"

"That would be the one," Santana pointed her finger at Alex in a way that said 'Correct.' "She claimed to be having problems in school and went to our guidence counsoler over it, in which she assigned Brittany to Rachel and so it sounds to me like it was all planned out greatly in her favor,"

"She is one smart cookie that's for sure," Alex gave a chuckle then took another pull of her cigarette. The silence between them was very comfortable and as the sun began to get higher into the sky one of their stomachs growled.

"I think it's time for breakfast, you wanna help me?" Alex put the second cigarette out and stood from the outside table. Santana stood as well and placed her still unlit cigarette on the table for later.

"Sure, I can make sure you don't burn down the house,"

Alex slid open the patio door and rolled her eyes at the comment, "I cook almost every night for my wife and you see that this house is still intact,"

"Yeah, because most of your food is store bought and pre-made," the latina joked and slapped Alex's back. Alex gasped.

"You take that back Lopez, all of my cooking is home made," she sounded defended but Santana knew better. She opened the fridge and found eggs sitting there.

"I bet these eggs were store bought,"

"Fresh from my neighbour actually," corrected Alex as she pulled down pots and pans. Santana pulled out the carton and opened it, sure enough the eggs were all different and looked like they were just picked from the chickens themselves. She spotted the bacon that was wrapped in a white paper like wrapping and pulled it out.

"And the bacon I got from the local butcher shop," Alex stated before Santana could say anything. "And the rest is organic. I make sure to pick all of my veggies and fruits from the local farmers market,"

Santana was scrambling some eggs in a bowl, "Is that why you and Nicole look like fucking althletes because you guys eat so healthy?"

"Actually no, we can eat all day every day and not gain a pound," Alex grinned, "High metabolism baby girl,"

"Screw you," hissed Santana.

"You wish," Alex bit back with a smile.

Santana's jaw dropped dramatically as she stopped scrambling the eggs to stare at the older woman, "I'm telling your wife on you,"

Alex just laughed, "She thinks your sexy as fuck, she wouldn't mind,"

"You two are perverts,"

"You're 18 so you're of age," shrugged Alex. They got quiet as Alex cut up the veggies she had ready for the omlettes then rinsed off the cutting board and knife before cutting up some fruit for Rachel. "But we won't do anything,"

Santana looked up from the bacon she was cutting up and furrowed her eyebrows, "Why?"

Alex scooped up the cut up banana and strawberries before placing them in a bowl then grabbed two red apples and two kiwis before looking up to lock gazes with Santana only to smile sweetly, "Because you're Rachel's and we wouldn't do anything to come in between you two," seeing that smile made Santana's heart pound and her stomach to twist in happiness. She watched Alex look back down at the fruit, "Besides, Nicole is my soulmate and we are happily married,"

Seeing Alex talk about her wife like that made Santana feel the warmth from her words and she had to envy Alex for a second. But not for too long because she knew one day she would have that happiness as well.

 **SxRxSxR**


	16. You Can't Run Away From Your Past

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in here is mine, BUT the mistakes.

* * *

The ticking of the clock on the wall was the only sound that passed through the room. Emily stared at Rachel with her pen hovering over the yellow paper while she processed the information her patient had just shared with her. She hadn't expected half of what was told to her, and she sure as in hell didn't expect Rachel to come back to her so quickly to let her know. But then again, Rachel wasn't a quitter and Emily knew that, which meant she would come to each appointment like she paid for until Emily decided that it was time for her to stop coming.

"I hate to ask this but, how do you feel?" Emily cringed at the lame question but saw that Rachel made no expression just gave her left shoulder a tiny shrug.

"I've been numb for days now. I went back to school monday and I just walk around like a zombie," even her voice sounded expressionless and that worried Emily. "It's like I want to cry or punch something but I just..." she stops to look at the woman, "...I have no energy for anything anymore,"

"Why do you feel that way?"

"Because my entire life was a lie, well, my entire high school life was a lie. I don't hate Alex or Santana for getting me to this point, I hate myself for forgetting everything,"

"That wasn't your fault Rachel," Emily tried to explain.

"It was. If I would have never told anyone I would still have my memory, I would have given birth to a baby, I..."

"Your father would keep raping you,"

Rachel threaded her fingers together as she looked down to her lap and began to tremble at the meer thought of it. Of her father...she felt sick but swallowed back the bile.

"I just don't want to hate him, them, for what happened,"

"Why?"

"Because they loved me,"

Emily placed the note pad on the table and scooted on the edge of her seat, "They didn't love you Rachel, they used you. They took everything from you, that doesn't sound like love to me,"

"They're my parents," Rachel choked back a sob. Emily moved so she was kneeling before Rachel then took her face in her hand and wiped away some tears.

"They don't deserve that title. Sweetie, you have so many other people out there that love you who want to be there for you. You just got to let them in, stop pushing them away," She leaned up and pulled the younger girl in for a tight hug as Rachel cried into the woman's shoulder.

 **RxSxRxS**

Rachel felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders after she left Emily's office. She felt a little better then when she walked in but she knows now that she'll be able to live her life the way she wanted. Without the worry of anymore problems in life. She had Santana, who was willing to start over and show her the world. She had her cousin's; Alex and Nicole. They promised Rachel that they would stay in Lima till the girl graduated and left Ohio for New York with Santana. It was the happiest Rachel had felt in a long time and nothing would be able to ruin that moment for her.

She had decided to drive her own car since Santana was in Cincinnati helping Alex and Nicole pack up their belongings. She was due to meeting them there to help but she had to stop off at her house to pick up Hazel. Once she turned on her street an overwhelming feeling of dreed and fear began to settle in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like the feeling at all and something told her that she shouldn't go home alone. She decided to pick up her phone and call Sam.

"Hey there little diva, haven't heard from you in a while," his voice made Rachel calm instantly. She couldn't help but to smile at his words.

"I seen you in class today Sam," she stated.

"True but you haven't called me in a while, so whats the occasion?"

She bit her lip and parked down the road from her house, "Will you meet me at my house? Santana's not with me and I just...I don't feel safe going alone after what happened with Quinn,"

"Of course, I'll be there in five minutes," he said in a soft voice. Rachel loved how he treated her. Kind and loving, like an older brother to his little sister, except she was older then him.

"Thank you Sam, see you soon," they hung up and Rachel set her phone down in the passanger seat. She stared ahead and kept her hands on the steering wheel. She was going to wait for Sam, she didn't feel safe going home alone its what her gut was telling her but this little nagging feeling in the back of her head was telling her to go that she was being stupid. So she listened to her head and pulled from the side of the road and drove down the street only to spot an unknown vehicle in the park way.

She parked her car at the curb and turned it off, got out then walked up to the house. Even though it was sunny and very beautiful, the house looked eery and a little scary. It was too quiet around her neighbourhood and that didn't settle well with Rachel. Her hand reached out and opened the door, it was unlocked. Didn't she lock the door before she left? Rachel stepped inside and instantly a red flag in her head was telling her to leave but something bigger told her to just keep going.

"Hazel?!" she cried out. The dog didn't come running to her like she always did when she came home. That worried Rachel deeply and that red flag turned into a red light but she ignored it and walked further inside. She walked around the arch way to the living room and felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"Hello Dear,"

Her dad sat in his recliner, Hazel at his side. She wagged his tail as he scratched behind her ear.

"D-Daddy?"

He began to stand up and that caused Rachel to turn around. She bolted for the door but a tall dark figure stepped in front of her. She stopped and stepped back to see her father standing there, a sickingly evil smirk on his lips, his eyes hungry as they roamed her body. "Hello there sweetheart,"

 **RxSxRxS**


	17. If Betrayel Is What You Call It

**A/N:** I've had a lot of reviews telling me they wanted Quinn to get what she deserved. Well, you guys won't be disappointed. I aim to please. I'll be wrapping this story up in the next few chapters, so keep reading. I'm glad you guys love this. And I love you all for pushing me to make this better. Thank you for being here and loving every bit of it.

 **Disclaimer:** You know what goes here. ;)

* * *

"I see you redecorated," her father stated from behind her. She turned around and in an instant her left cheek was stinging and the loud _SMACK_ rang through the quiet house. Hazel stood up and began to growl at him but he raised his hand in a calm motion and she sat back down. Rachel placed her hand on her cheek as she turned to face him, tears in her eyes. "You little bitch, when we left we told you not to destroy anything and yet here you are changing everything about the place. It's not yours to change, its mine and your fathers,"

"I...I'm sorry-"

"I, I, I, I," he mocked her and grabbed her by the arm, "Not everything is about you, slut," this was not her daddy and it scared Rachel. He dragged her into the living room where he shoved her face into the coffee table. "This is not my glass coffee table, what did you do with it?" his voice was so hateful and it made the tears fall from Rachel's eyes while her face pressed into the wooden table harder then it should have been. "Where is it?!" he shouted.

Rachel flinched, "I broke it after you left!" she yelled then sobbed.

"Oh you did huh?" Leroy turned his head to his husband and gave a smile before pulling Rachel's head back and slamming it into the table, so hard it cracked the furniture. He picked Rachel up by her hair, where she yelled out from the sharp pain shooting from her forehead that was now split open to the way he gripped her hair like he was going to rip it out. Dragging her into the kitchen he made her look at the island. "What about this?"

"I took a sludge hammer to it," she sobbed. Leroy smashed her face into the newly fixed island which split open her head even further. Her vision began to blur and she was sure to pass out soon but her dad wasn't having any of it. He shook her awake harshly before slamming her body into the new fridge.

"I'm thinking hard right now not to take a fucking sludge hammer to your ugly ass face!" he spat then threw her on the floor before picking her up and hauling her into the living room again. He set her down and was about to ask her what happend to the pictures on the wall when the door bell rang. He looked at his husband who turned around and went to check it. Rachel could faintly hear Sam at the door, asking where Rachel was and who the man was. When Hiram told Sam who he was the boy instantly felt his body turn cold. He remember Brittany telling him about Rachel's fathers and made him swore not to tell anyone.

"Can I see her?"

"She's busy right now, but I will be sure to let her know you stopped bye," Hiram gave his best fake smile before shutting the door and locking it. Sam debated on knocking the door down but then he knew that there was nothing he could do alone. So he pulled out his phone and dialed Santana's number.

Santana was thirty miles away from Lima when she got the call from Sam, she had already been on her way back since Rachel wasn't answering her cell and she was about an hour late getting there. Alex and Nicole in the car with her. "Hello?" she answered her phone.

 _"Santana, Rachel's dads are back,"_ Sam sounded frantic and instantly alarted all three girls. _"I asked if I could see her but they said she was busy. I don't like this Santana, something doesn't seem right at all,"_

"Just hang tight Sam, we are on our way. If you can, look around the house, listen to anything that doesn't sound right to you. If you hear something then you get your ass in that house, I mean it," Santana spoke quickly.

 _"I understand. Please hurry,"_

He hung up the phone and snuck around the side of the house, hiding in the shadows the best her could.

Inside, Leroy had Rachel by her hair again and dragged her up the steps. He made sure to get everything out of Rachel and for each answer he would either slam her face into the wall or something solid near them or throw her to the ground. When they got to the rooms he was surprised to see that their room was untouched, Rachel's looked half way clean. He decided to throw her in her room and followed, his husband in tow.

"So why don't you tell me why you did all of this," he sat on her bed as she struggled to sit up, blood running down her face as a splitting headache forced her to gasp in pain.

"You left me! You told me you didn't need me and that it was time for me to live on my own. I was angry, pissed-"

Leroy landed another solid slap to her right cheek this time, "Don't you dare cuss at me, you ungrateful whore!" he stood up and grabbed her by the throat before slamming her into the wall and tightening his hold. She began to lose her breathing, her hands clawing and smacking for him to stop but he was so much stronger. Leroy gritted his teeth together while he tightened his hold. Rachel stared into his eyes and saw the years worth of hate and anger in them. He was going to kill her and there was no one there to stop him.

That was her thoughts until someone smashed through her bed room window. She was able to catch her breath again in time before she passed out when her dad let her go to turn around and see who it was. Sam stood there with a metal baseball bat in his hands. "How in the fuck did you get in here like that? We're on the second floor," Leroy asked.

"I'm a great climber," Sam hissed before he swung the bat at the mans head. Leroy dodged it and landed a punch into the boys side. Sam didn't falter though as he reared his elbow down and landed it into the older mans face. Leroy stumbled back into the bed and grabbed his nose as it began to bleed. Sam spotted Hiram and was about to smash the bat into his face but there was this deafening explosion like _BANG_ sound that filled the house. Rachel watched Sam and Sam stared at Rachel.

The bat fell from the boys hands just as he fell to his knees and looked down to his shirt. The grey William McKinley Football shirt slowly became coated in dark crimson liquid from his left side as it seeped out. "Rachel..." he whispered. Rachel felt tears roll down her face as she scrambled over to him just as he fell forward. She caught him and held his upper body in her arms. "Sam, please talk to me Sam," she cried. Her hand reached down to cover over the wound but it just kept bleeding.

"Leroy we have to keep him alive, if not we'll go to jail for murder," Hiram stared at his husband, "How can you be so stupid, we weren't going to use that unless we had to," the man grew angry as he stepped closer to his slightly frightened husband.

"He was going to hit you with a baseball bat, that's enough of a reason to shoot the fucking kid," Leroy hissed.

"I could have prevented that you idiot," he shook his head before dropping next to Rachel and grabbing the boy. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. You little drama queen,"

Rachel felt her face heat up with humiliation as she watched her father carry Sam out of her room. She then looked up at her dad and saw that he was furious. "Are there anymore of your friends willing to try and save you?" she shook her head. "Good because I will shoot and kill every single one of them if I have to,"

Leroy grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back down the stairs. He tossed her into the living room and raised his gun to Hazel. "I'm going to destroy everything that you love, starting with this dog. Then I'll go up stairs and finished off your little boy friend. You destroyed my family," he snarled at her.

"You let him rape me daddy, so it's your fault, not mine," Rachel said through her tears as she inched over and wrapped her arms around Hazel. After hearing those words, Leroy's arm lowered slightly. He had never in his life felt his heart break like it did just then. Seeing his little girl blame him for something he could have prevented but ignored. "You hid it from me and instead of leaving him you let him stay in this house after finding out. You let him live around me after he hurt your baby girl, how could you do that daddy?"

Leroy closed his eyes, "Shut up, this is your fault it's not mine. I didn't ask for this, I didn't ask for a whore of a daughter," he shook his head. He opened his eyes to look at the girl that trembled against her dog. "You ruined everything. You came in and ruined my marriage and my life, I wish you were never even born,"

"Your niece thinks other wise,"

Leroy scoffed, "That little dyke, she doesn't know anything. Her father isn't any better, not after he met that fucking whore he called a wife,"

Rachel just stared at the man she once called 'Daddy' and felt her heart break at seeing him this way. "Why did you even come back?"

"A little birdy told your father and I what you had been up to, so we decided it was time we came back and treat you like the little girl you are, except you want to act like an adult. So we're going to treat you like one,"

"What little birdy?" asked Rachel. Leroy stepped aside to reveal someone behind him. Rachel's heart went straight into her stomach once again and the need to puke became strong as she looked into thoughs intense hazel eyes.

"Hello Tranny," Quinn wiggled her fingers at the terrified diva. "Looks like I get to see your daddy here take you out of this world," she smirked.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Quinn's smirk dropped and her face grew serious, "I told you not to mess with my plans, I told you to step off and leave Santana and Brittany alone. They were mine and when I want something so bad, I get it,"

"Why can't you get your own friends, leave mine alone!" Rachel yelled. Quinn stepped forward and smacked Rachel in the left cheek, it stung worse then her fathers.

"You have what I want, and that dog is what I want right now. So shut your mouth and hand her over," Quinn reached down to grab Hazel but the dog snarled then bit the girls wrist. Quinn jerked her hand back to see that she had broke skin and was now bleeding. "Fucking bitch,"

"Looks like we'll have to put her down," Leroy sighed as he waved the gun around. "You want to do the honors?" Quinn looked back at him then smiled.

"Sure why not," she stood up and grabbed the gun, aiming it at the dog. Rachel wrapped her arms around Hazel and tried to get in the way.

"If you don't move I will fucking shoot you Tranny, don't tempt me," she snarked. Rachel shook her head.

"No,"

"Whatever you say," Quinn cocked the gun and aimed it at both of them, "Not nice knowing you, little tramp,"

 **SxRxSxR**


	18. It's Not Much Of a Win

**A/N:** I'll be wrapping this up in like one or two more chapters. Not quite sure just yet. But there will be an Epilogue for sure. Again, I would like to thank everyone for your reviews, follows, likes and your patients with this story. I did the best I could and I do hope you all like it.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything in here but my mistakes, Alex and Nicole. Plus the idea.

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When Santana parked behind Rachel's car she was able to spot Quinn's car instantly and the rage she felt was blinding. "I'm going to kill that fucking bitch!" She pushed open her door and was ready to jump out but Alex grabbed her arm to stop her and she looked over her shoulder.

"Wait, we have to be careful, we want to have the element of surprise," Alex stated, "You can have Quinn all you want, I won't stop you, just don't jump to it otherwise we could get Rachel hurt,"

Santana knew Alex was right so she sneaked up to the house with her and Nicole. She stopped to peek into the window by the living room and what she saw made her rage rise quicker. "She's got a fucking gun pointed to Rachel," she hissed to Alex, who was trying to unlock the front door quietly. When the sound gave way she opened the door and they creeped in. Hearing the last of what Quinn had said to Rachel.

"Not nice knowing you, little tramp,"

Santana looked at Alex, who nodded her head, and the latina was gone in an instant. She passed Leroy and knocked Quinn down who dropped the gun as it skid across the floor. She allowed Quinn to turn and landed a solid punch to the girls jaw. "You fucking bitch!" screamed Santana. She landed a few more blows before Quinn wiggled her way out from under Santana but latina wasn't about to let her get away. She jumped up and chased after Quinn through the kitchen. She was alot faster then the cheer captain so she slammed into her back so hard that Quinn hit the edge of the island. She gave a loud grunt before falling to the ground. Santana straddled her once again and began to land blow after blow to Quinn's face.

Alex snuck up behind her uncle and was about to knock his feet from under him. Till she felt a gun press into the back of her head, "Don't you even dare," Hiram's voice rang through her ears. She watched her uncle turn around as she raised her hands in the air slowly. Nicole watched in horror before standing up and side checking Hiram into the staircase. He gripped the gun tightly while trying his best to fight her off where as Alex turned back to look at her uncle.

"Nice to see you're alive and still snooping around," he spoke, "Thought I told you to stay away,"

"Rachel needed me, I can't stay away from her," Alex said, "She reminds me too much of my mother,"

"Fucking bitch. She took my brother from me then created a sorry excuse for a daughter who likes to get in the middle of other peoples business," Leroy rolled his head. The sounds of Santana punching at Quinn and Nicole struggling with Hiram were in the backgrounds. Alex wondered what her uncle's next move was. "I'm glad I killed her,"

Alex's world came crashing down around her. Her eyes widen and she felt like she had her breath ripped from her body. "What?"

"You heard me,"

"Y-You killed my mother?"

He grinned, "In cold blood. I watched Hiram fuck her then I shot her right between the eyes. She deserved it," he shrugged. Alex began to breath quickly, her vision blurred and she was close to losing it.

"Why would you do that?" she asked. Before Leroy could answer, another sound _BANG_ was heard through out the house. Alex turned around just to see Nicole fall to the ground. Something took over Alex and she wasn't herself anymore. She turned to Leroy, who saw the look in her eyes and felt his body begin to shake. With speed she never even knew she had, Alex landed a hard punch deep into the man's stomach. He doubled over and with quickness, Alex landed her elbow down on the back of his head which caused him to black out and land on the ground.

She turned to Hiram just as he raised the gun towards her. She dodged it before he could pull the trigger and landed a swift kick to his right rib cage. She didn't give him time to recover as she landed a round house kick to his head. It was an instant knock out as he fell to the floor like dead weight. She looked around to make sure they were both out cold before rushing over to her wife and checking to see where the wound was. He shot her in the stomach.

"Nicole," she breathing quickly and held onto the gunshot wound with as much pressure as she could give. The woman looked up at her and smile, blood already traveling down her mouth. "Please hold on baby, you're going to be okay," she looked up at her cousin, "Rach, call 911, please,"

Rachel had been too scared to move through out all of this but when her cousin adressed her she snapped into action and called the police, explaining what was going on. She stayed on the phone with the lady until they got there. But her eyes never left Alex, who had been rocking Nicole's body. She felt so much dreed at the sight, it didn't look good and she hoped to god that they got Nicole to the hospital in time.

Santana dragged a bloody and beaten up Quinn into the living room where she threw the girl on the ground before reaching Rachel and wrapping her arms around her body. "She'll be fine Rae, I can feel it," she whispered in her ear. Rachel closed her eyes and let the tears fall quickly

 **RxSxRxS**

Rachel, Sam and Nicole were admitted into the hospital. Rachel had a very bad head injury. The doctors were surprised she was still awake but the fact that her pulse was racing they could understand. She was awake on pure adrenline. Santana stayed by her side and refused to leave even after the doctors ordered it. She mentioned something about her father being a doctor so they had no choice but to let her stay.

"How's Nicole?" Rachel asked after one of the nurses left after checking on her wounds. Santana looked down at her hands and sighed.

"It's looking rough. They have her in ICU right now, said something about losing alot of blood and trying to get the bullet out," she explained. Rachel could feel her stomach twist in fear. "Sam is okay, your father-"

"Don't call him that, they don't deserve the title," Rachel interupted, Santana just smiled.

"Hiram took the bullet out and stitched him up so all he needs is a good few days in the hospital to recover,"

"That's good to hear," Rachel stated then looked at her hands. "I'm worried about Nicole,"

"We both are," Santana moved so she was sitting on the edge of Rachel's bed and grabbed both of her hands. "She'll be fine Rae, my father is on the job and he can work wonders,"

Rachel sighed then leaned forward so her head rested on Santana's shoulder, "I hope so Tana, I really do,"

They stayed quiet for a long time before Rachel pulled her head back and looked up at the latina. "What happened to Quinn?"

"My dad's nurse took a look at her and told her she wasn't hurt then sent her home," Santana shrugged, "A little gift for us,"

Rachel couldn't help but smile at the news. Quinn's getting her karma it's extremely sweet indeed.

 **SxRxSxR**


	19. I'm Home, I'm Safe

**Disclaimer:** Brandy, Alex and Nicole are mine as well as mistakes. The rest does not belong to me.

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Alex had been pacing the waiting room for hours it felt like. She still had Nicole's blood on her clothes and hands, she wasn't about to leave just to shower and change and miss what they had to say. The shower could wait, she needed to know how her wife was. She was pissed that they wouldn't let her in to see her wife, they were married after all. She couldn't sit and she couldn't sleep. It was already passed midnight and there was still nothing new on her. Alex turned around and spotted a few cops escorting Hiram and Leroy out of the hospital. She had fisted her hands tightly before stomping over to them and landing a punch to Hiram's jaw. It cracked under her knuckles.

"Alex!" Officer Brandy, a close friend to her father and mother, exclaimed. She allowed another male officer to take them outside so she could talk to the angered girl. "You need to calm down, punching them won't help your situation, it'll only land you in jail for the night," she cupped the girls cheeks, "Look, you need to be here for your wife. So calm down and let us take care of it from here,"

The woman looked down as her heart broke, her brows creasing in sadly, "Leroy killed my mom aunt Brandy," she looked into her aunt's green eyes and felt her own fill with tears, "He told me that he watched Hiram...rape my mom and then he shot her," she let out a painful sob and Brandy wrapped her arms around the hurting woman.

"He'll pay for this sweetheart, I promise you I will work my hardest to make sure they get life for this," the woman kissed Alex's forehead just as the doctor came out in a white robe and a face mask around his neck. "Alex,"

She turned from her aunt and spotted the doctor, it was Santana's dad.

"Are you the wife?" he asked, clearly shocked. Alex nodded and stepped up to him. Dr. Lopez gave a huge sigh before he explained to her. "She lost a lot of blood, and the bullet missed pretty much every major organ and artery."

"I feel like theres a 'but' at the end of this sentence," Alex deadpanned.

Dr. Lopez sighed, "She needs a blood transfusion or she's going to die,"

"And I'm guessing you don't have any matching doners here?" she asked.

"Pretty much. She's a rare O positive and everyone here are either A, AB, B,"

Alex let her head drop and that feeling of dread in her heart increased. She didn't know anyone who was O postitive and if she waited Nicole would die.

"I'm O positive,"

Alex looked up and turned around where she found Brittany standing there with a red WMHS duffle bag in hand. "Brittany?" the girl smiled at her name and waved.

"Hi Alex,"

"Are you willing to give a pint of blood?" Dr. Lopez asked. Brittany nodded.

"Wait, how much did she lose?" asked Alex.

"About 2 1/2 liters worth which is half of what she has in her body considering she weighs between 120-140. All she needs is another pint or she'll go into shock,"

"Well why are we standing here talking, lets give my blood to the nice lady," Brittany stated and pushed both the doctor and Alex towards the back. Alex turned around to say bye to her aunt but she was already on her way out the door.

"Bye Aunt Brandy!" she yelled.

"Bye Sweetie!" the woman yelled back just as the doors closed behind her as well as the doors closing in front of Alex.

 **RxSxRxS**

Santana was spooning Rachel from behind as she listened to the younger girl sleep peacefully. The lights were off in the room and the tv was on mute. Her fingers were laced with Rachel's on the diva's stomach which meant she was stuck but that didn't bother her too much. She was just happy that she could hold Rachel finally after all those years of being away from her and acting like nothing ever happened between them. She was half way asleep when the door opened to the room which woke both of them up completely.

They sat up in the bed just as Alex wrapped her arms around both of them and hugged them for all they were worth. "Alex, are you okay?" Rachel asked. The older woman pulled away and cupped both of their cheeks.

"I will be," she smiled sadly before taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. "I'm sorry if I woke you up,"

"Don't be, we were actually waiting for you to come back and let us know what's going on," Santana said. Alex slumped in her seat and let out a loud sigh.

"I need a fucking cigarette," she stated. Santana and Rachel looked at each other.

"Go, I need some sleep," Rachel told the latina.

"You sure Rae?" asked Santana as she held the girls hands.

"I'm sure, I can't leave but you can. Besides, she needs us and you're the only open one at the moment," Rachel smiled as she gave her permission. Santana cupped Rachel's chin and lifted her head up before pressing her lips to Rachel's plump ones. It lasted a few seconds but it meant everything to both girls. "Come back to me though," Rachel whispered against her lips. Santana kissed her once more before getting up.

"Always will baby doll,"

Alex stood and leaned over to kiss Rachel on the forehead, "I love you little star, you're the best thing to ever have happened to me. Never forget it," she whispered. Rachel blushed and pulled Alex's face down so she could kiss the bridge of her nose.

"I never will," she whispered then let the woman go befor settling back in her bed to try and sleep some more. A smile on her face.

Alex and Santana took the elevator up to the top of the hospital, a perk for having a father who is a doctor of the place. They walked to the railing of the roof before Alex pulled out two of the cig's and handed one to Santana. She lit hers before handing the lighter over where Santana lit her own then handed the ligther back. They inhaled at the same time before blwoing the smoke out as well.

"This shit is way to fucking stressful," Alex said after awhile. The sky was filled with a ton of stars which made her look up to stare at them. "After this is all over with we are all going on a road trip,"

"I'm down with that," chuckled Santana. They got quiet after awhile. Santana looked over at Alex and saw the girl just staring at the sky. She watched a lone tear slide down her cheek before looking away and taking another drag of her cigarette. "Is Nicole going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Alex wiped at the tear with a smile, "She needed some blood and Brittany came here to bring some clothes to you and Rachel. She over heard the conversation and offered to give some of her blood,"

"She was a match?"

Alex nodded her head, "She's quite unique and I'm glad she came when she did other wise Nicole would be dead," just thinking of that made Alex tear up. She chuckled and wiped at her eyes again. "Look at me, I'm crying like a fucking baby," she sniffled a bit then finished her cigarette.

"Alex theres no shame in crying, especially over the possible death of your wife. She's everything to you. If it was me I'd be bawling my eyes out," she stepped closer and placed a hand on the older woman's arm, "You're alot stronger then you think and I admire you for it. You're staying in one piece instead of freaking out, and that's better then most people can say,"

"I just don't want to think she's a goner when theres possiblities to save her," Alex stated. "I refuse to let her go,"

"Then don't let go,"

 **RxSxRxS**

When they ventured on back inside Brittany met them at Rachel's room, she looked tired but the smile on her mouth made Alex's heart leap. "Is she okay?"

"They said that she'll need alot of rest and she won't be able to leave for a while but she's in the clear," the tall blonde threw up her thumbs with a wink towards Alex who engulfed her in a bear hug that rivaled Brittany's.

"Thank you so much Brittany!" she exclaimed before letting her down then rushing to her wife's room. Which left Santana and Brittany standing by the door alone.

"So how's Rach?" asked Brittany.

"She's sleeping, they said she will be able to leave in a few days," Santana looked down the hall to see that it was empty and quiet. "She had some bad head trauma so they want to make sure she's okay for awhile. But if you ask me, she looks like it didn't even phase her much,"

"She's strong S, she's our strong little diva," gushed Brittany. Santana stared at her best friend before wrapping her up in a loving hug.

"You are amazing B, never change," she mumbled into her shoulder. Brittany buried her head in Santana's neck then shook it.

"Don't think I can," the taller girl giggled, "Even if I tried,"

"Good," Santana pulled from the hug with a sigh then looked at her best friend, "I think you should go see Sam, he's in room 204,"

Brittany's eyes widen and she placed a kiss to Santana's cheek before she left to hunt for the room, leaving Santana standing there with a smile on her lips.

She walked back into Rachel's room and found her asleep like she had predicted. Removing her shoes, Santana slipped into the bed behind Rachel and wrapped her arms around the slumbering girl before pulling her closer to her chest. As she fell asleep, she missed the smile that Rachel let slip on her face. She felt home and she felt safe.

 **RxSxRxS**


	20. Epilogue

**A/N:** Okay guys, this is it. I've finished this with what I believe is the best ending I could give it. I wanted to thank everyone who stuck around for this. And thank you for all the support. I'm not sure when I'll be able to write more since I'll be leaving here soon. So for now take this and run with it lol. Please leave a review if you can. I normally don't ask for these but this story has became my baby that I just want to see what you guys think. But please enjoy and thank you again.

 **Disclaimer:** Tobi, Alex, Nicole and mistakes are mine. Nothing else is mine. Oh but Hazel is also mine. Poor dog I kept forgetting to add her.

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She felt hands slide around her stomach from behind which brought her back from her thoughts as a smile spread along her lips and she leaned back into the person. "Penny for your thoughts love?"

Rachel hummed, "Just thinking is all," she turned around and saw her fiance of two years. Santana looked from those piercing brown eyes down to the baby bump Rachel had. "She's kicking," the diva giggled as she watched Santana kneel down and press her lips to her lovers stomach then began to whisper to the baby. It always made Rachel's heart soar when Santana did things like that. Made her fall harder in love for the woman, if it was even possible for her to love Santana anymore then she already did.

She thread her fingers through Santana's long ebony locks while Santana continued to talk to their baby before she stood up to press a kiss to her lovers lips. "Come on, our guests are waiting," she then grabbed the salad bowl from Rachel and pulled her outside on the back patio. Rachel leaned down to kiss Alex on the cheek as she sat next to her in a chair under the umbrella to keep the sun from them.

"Hey there little star," Alex grinned and reached over to grab her cousin's hand and hold it in her own. "How's my god daughter?"

"She's rowdy today," confessed Rachel. Her free hand slid over her plump stomach just as the baby kicked and made her giggle. Santana set down the bowl where the rest of the food was then went back to the grill she was cooking at.

Rachel looked over to the pool in her backyard just in time to see Sam jump in with his two year old little boy. She watched them resurface and how Sam held the boy in the air as he giggled his little boy laugh, his bright blond hair wet from the water. The diva smiled when Brittany swam over to them and kissed her husband on the lips before grabbing their child and swam away. She then looked over to where Santana was as a little four year old boy ran up to her. He had spikey black hair and fair tan skin. His eyes were as blue as his mothers.

"Aunt Tana will you pay wif me?" he asked and held out his water gun. Santana looked from the grill down to the little boy then picked him up and headed over to where Rachel and Alex sat only to hand Alex the tongs. "Go finish while I play with my little nephew here, duty calls," Alex stood with a salute and a snarky, "As you wish mistress," then walked over to the grill to finish. Rachel giggled when she saw Santana stick her tongue out at the older woman before she grabbed Tobi and tossed him in the pool before jumping in after him in time to catch him.

She watched her family play and have a great time with a glued smile to her face. Sam and Brittany squirting their guns at Santana and Tobi who sat on her shoulders. Cory sitting on his dads shoulders. It was a beautiful sight. Rachel looked over where Alex stood at the grill and her smile faltered a little. Her cousin had lost so much in her life, her mother, her father and her loved one. It made Rachel sad for her, then she watched as Nicole came out of the house holding a bucket full of ice with all different kinds of beer and alcoholic beverages.

"Look who I found," she announced before kissing Alex on the lips. Rachel tilted her head to the side and saw Emily walking up to her as well as Puck, who had an equally filled bucket that he sat next to Nicole's before making his was to the girls.

"Noah! Emily! You guys made it," Rachel struggled to stand but Emily beat her to it and helped up for a hug moving away to allow Puck a hug as well.

"We would have been here sooner had this little moron took the right exit like I told him to," Emily joked. Pucked blushed. "I said I was sorry babe, I got excited," Emily just smiled and kissed his cheek before joining Rachel at the table.

"I'm glad you buzzed that mohawk off Noah," Rachel had stated softly as she rubbed his head.

"It was time for a change and I needed a better look for my girl over there," he nodded towards Emily, who grinned.

"I'm proud of you," she hugged him once more then let him go so he could hop into the pool. She sat back down and watched her ever growing family with that same happy smile on her lips.

"You look alot happier Rachel,"

"I feel happy, I have a real family now and everyone is here," she looked to Emily, "I don't want to ever let go again,"

Emily reached her hand over to grab Rachel's and squeeze gently, "You never have to,"

Rachel looked away and stared at them all. Alex with her arm around Nicole's waist and a beer in one hand, both of them in their own little world till their little boy ran up to them and Nicole picked him up. He shot Alex in the face with the gun who tickled his bare stomach and made him laugh. It sounded like Alex and it was beautiful. She then looked over to where Brittany and Sam sat on the edge of the pool, close together as they flirted and laughed.

Puck playing with Cory, lifting him up and tossing him in the air before catching him. Tobi thought it was fun so he ran over to them before jumping in just as Puck caught him then tended to both boys. Then looked up just as Santana walked up to her, in all of her sexy tanned glory as she wrung her hair out before tying it up into a messy bun and leaned down to kiss Rachel on the lips. Just watching Santana walk to her then kiss her made Rachel's heart pound faster then it should have.

If Santana can still make her feel this way after so many years then she knew the latina was the one for her. Always had been.

She felt a cold nose hit her hand so she looked down and smiled, "Hey there Hazel," she scratched behind the dogs ear just as she laid next to Rachel's chair to keep her guard like she always did. Rachel smiled at the faithful dog before looking back to her fiancé.

"Dinners ready guys!" Alex announced. "Let's eat!"

 **END**


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